Arms scandal: Ex-CM Hoti’s brother challenges approver’s statement in court
Arshad Majeed, was arrested by NAB for his alleged involvement in misappropriation while purchasing arms.
Majeed confessed to bribing Hoti’s brother Ghazan with Rs195 million. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
PESHAWAR:
Former K-P chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan Khan has challenged a statement against him in the Peshawar High Court accusing him of taking Rs195 million in bribes over an arms procurement deal.
Arshad Majeed, a contractor, was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for his alleged involvement in misappropriation while purchasing arms, ammunition and related equipment for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police in 2009. Majeed later agreed to become an approver in the case after paying Rs102 million to the NAB.
While recording his statement before judicial magistrate Muhammad Ilyas Khan, Majeed confessed to bribing Hoti’s brother Ghazan with Rs195 million through his front man Raza. Majeed also named former K-P inspector general of police (IGP) Malik Naveed in the scandal.
Ghazan, however, categorically rejected the allegations, terming Majeed’s statement “baseless and lacking no evidentiary value”.
In a petition filed through his counsel Sherafgan Khattak, Ghazan said Majeed’s statement was liable to be quashed since he was neither associated with the deal nor was he holding a public office as defined by Section 5 of the NAB Ordinance, 1999.
The petition, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, maintained Ghazan’s brother Amir Haidar Khan Hoti kept an eye on major deals and ordered an inquiry which led to NAB arresting Majeed, who later confessed to embezzlement.
“That mere vague allegation of indirect payment has got no evidentiary value. Moreover, mentioning the name of the petitioner (Ghazan Azam Khan) is nothing but character assassination at the behest of NAB authorities,” read the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2013.
Former K-P chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan Khan has challenged a statement against him in the Peshawar High Court accusing him of taking Rs195 million in bribes over an arms procurement deal.
Arshad Majeed, a contractor, was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for his alleged involvement in misappropriation while purchasing arms, ammunition and related equipment for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police in 2009. Majeed later agreed to become an approver in the case after paying Rs102 million to the NAB.
While recording his statement before judicial magistrate Muhammad Ilyas Khan, Majeed confessed to bribing Hoti’s brother Ghazan with Rs195 million through his front man Raza. Majeed also named former K-P inspector general of police (IGP) Malik Naveed in the scandal.
Ghazan, however, categorically rejected the allegations, terming Majeed’s statement “baseless and lacking no evidentiary value”.
In a petition filed through his counsel Sherafgan Khattak, Ghazan said Majeed’s statement was liable to be quashed since he was neither associated with the deal nor was he holding a public office as defined by Section 5 of the NAB Ordinance, 1999.
The petition, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, maintained Ghazan’s brother Amir Haidar Khan Hoti kept an eye on major deals and ordered an inquiry which led to NAB arresting Majeed, who later confessed to embezzlement.
“That mere vague allegation of indirect payment has got no evidentiary value. Moreover, mentioning the name of the petitioner (Ghazan Azam Khan) is nothing but character assassination at the behest of NAB authorities,” read the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2013.