Scrap scandal: Railways GM sent on 14-day remand
Akhtar presented before court by NAB in allegations levelled against him during investigations of scrap scandal.
LAHORE:
A Lahore court on Friday sent Pakistan Railways (PR) General Manager Operations Saeed Akhtar on a 14-day remand.
Akhtar was presented before the court by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) facing charges levelled against him during investigations of a scrap scandal by former controller of stores PR Khalid Mohiuddin.
NAB representatives had asked the court to send Akhtar on a 14-day remand, which was accepted today.
A special cell constituted by NAB investigating corruption cases in PR had arrested Akhtar for misuse of authority and his alleged involvement in embezzlement worth Rs600 million. He was summoned to the NAB office in Islamabad and taken into custody.
Akhtar had retired earlier this month but was granted a year-long extension by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The Supreme Court had referred PR’s corruption cases to NAB for further probe earlier this month.
The bureau’s chairman had then established a special cell, headed by Director-General Operations Col (retd) Shahzad Bhatti to deal with these cases.
Investigators have already arrested three employees of PR and suspended 14 others on charges of corruption. Some accused have been released on bail after depositing the embezzled amount, sources added. Officials investigating the encroachment on PR-owned land said that out of a total 5,000 acres of land, 771 acres, amounting to Rs400 billion, has been recovered from 2,000 illegal occupants so far.
A Lahore court on Friday sent Pakistan Railways (PR) General Manager Operations Saeed Akhtar on a 14-day remand.
Akhtar was presented before the court by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) facing charges levelled against him during investigations of a scrap scandal by former controller of stores PR Khalid Mohiuddin.
NAB representatives had asked the court to send Akhtar on a 14-day remand, which was accepted today.
A special cell constituted by NAB investigating corruption cases in PR had arrested Akhtar for misuse of authority and his alleged involvement in embezzlement worth Rs600 million. He was summoned to the NAB office in Islamabad and taken into custody.
Akhtar had retired earlier this month but was granted a year-long extension by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The Supreme Court had referred PR’s corruption cases to NAB for further probe earlier this month.
The bureau’s chairman had then established a special cell, headed by Director-General Operations Col (retd) Shahzad Bhatti to deal with these cases.
Investigators have already arrested three employees of PR and suspended 14 others on charges of corruption. Some accused have been released on bail after depositing the embezzled amount, sources added. Officials investigating the encroachment on PR-owned land said that out of a total 5,000 acres of land, 771 acres, amounting to Rs400 billion, has been recovered from 2,000 illegal occupants so far.