Mired in controversy: Remand of ex-police chief extended as more details come to light
Malik Naveed accuses Ihsan Ghani of misappropriation in arms deal.
Former K-P IGP Malik Naveed. PHOTO: APP/FILE
PESHAWAR:
An accountability court has extended the remand of former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Inspector General of Police (IGP) Malik Naveed by nine days over his alleged misappropriation in an arms procurement deal.
Moreover, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the court on Saturday that during the last remand, it was revealed that former police chief Ihsan Ghani had wrongly issued funds worth Rs2 billion.
Naveed was earlier sent on a 14-day remand which was extended for 10 days upon expiry. He is accused of receiving kickbacks worth Rs1.83 billion in the Rs7 billion procurement of weapons and vehicles scam.
NAB Special Prosecutor Lajbar Khan informed the court that investigation during the 10-day remand revealed Ghani had released Rs2 billion from the account of the Police Coordination Unit (PCU) as the director general for procurement of weapons. The release of the amount is illegal as PCU can only issue funds for construction of police stations and other related activities in the province, added Lajbar.
He further informed the court Naveed also allegedly paid Rs220 million to Raza Khan, brother-in-law of Ghazan Hoti, the brother of former chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti and the former CM’s adviser, Niaz Ali Shah.
The prosecutor said investigation had revealed that “in order to pay money to middlemen, the price of a bulletproof jacket was raised from Rs48,000 to Rs55,000. The total number of jackets that were purchased was 30,000.”
He then asked the court for yet another extension in the remand as the case was vital, involving high-profile individuals. He said the bureau has summoned the other people named in the case and has to probe their links further.
Judge Wilayat Ali Khan then questioned the necessity of Naveed’s remand if other people are now being investigated.
Zahoorul Haq, counsel for the accused, told the court NAB achieved nothing substantial during the previous remand as the officials held only two meetings. He said the case was four-and-half years old and that NAB was yet to uncover anything concrete.
After hearing arguments of both sides, the court approved a remand for nine more days.
An official familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune Naveed was allegedly requested by his brother to cease revealing more names in the case and not worry about the investigation, which would be “taken care of”. The official maintained Naveed had offered to pay Rs40 million voluntarily if NAB backs off from the case, but the ‘offer’ was turned down by the bureau.
NAB earlier arrested contractor Arshad Majeed and budget officer Khalid in the procurement case. Majeed voluntarily paid Rs102 million while Khalid paid Rs42 million back to the bureau.
Naveed was arrested on November 20 for allegedly receiving kickbacks in arms purchase deals during his tenure as the police chief from 2008-10.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2013.
An accountability court has extended the remand of former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Inspector General of Police (IGP) Malik Naveed by nine days over his alleged misappropriation in an arms procurement deal.
Moreover, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the court on Saturday that during the last remand, it was revealed that former police chief Ihsan Ghani had wrongly issued funds worth Rs2 billion.
Naveed was earlier sent on a 14-day remand which was extended for 10 days upon expiry. He is accused of receiving kickbacks worth Rs1.83 billion in the Rs7 billion procurement of weapons and vehicles scam.
NAB Special Prosecutor Lajbar Khan informed the court that investigation during the 10-day remand revealed Ghani had released Rs2 billion from the account of the Police Coordination Unit (PCU) as the director general for procurement of weapons. The release of the amount is illegal as PCU can only issue funds for construction of police stations and other related activities in the province, added Lajbar.
He further informed the court Naveed also allegedly paid Rs220 million to Raza Khan, brother-in-law of Ghazan Hoti, the brother of former chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti and the former CM’s adviser, Niaz Ali Shah.
The prosecutor said investigation had revealed that “in order to pay money to middlemen, the price of a bulletproof jacket was raised from Rs48,000 to Rs55,000. The total number of jackets that were purchased was 30,000.”
He then asked the court for yet another extension in the remand as the case was vital, involving high-profile individuals. He said the bureau has summoned the other people named in the case and has to probe their links further.
Judge Wilayat Ali Khan then questioned the necessity of Naveed’s remand if other people are now being investigated.
Zahoorul Haq, counsel for the accused, told the court NAB achieved nothing substantial during the previous remand as the officials held only two meetings. He said the case was four-and-half years old and that NAB was yet to uncover anything concrete.
After hearing arguments of both sides, the court approved a remand for nine more days.
An official familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune Naveed was allegedly requested by his brother to cease revealing more names in the case and not worry about the investigation, which would be “taken care of”. The official maintained Naveed had offered to pay Rs40 million voluntarily if NAB backs off from the case, but the ‘offer’ was turned down by the bureau.
NAB earlier arrested contractor Arshad Majeed and budget officer Khalid in the procurement case. Majeed voluntarily paid Rs102 million while Khalid paid Rs42 million back to the bureau.
Naveed was arrested on November 20 for allegedly receiving kickbacks in arms purchase deals during his tenure as the police chief from 2008-10.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2013.