K & P

Weapons’ scam: Court sends Ghazan Hoti to Central Prison Peshawar

Extends NAB’s custody of Tariq Awan, secretary of the Workers Welfare Board.

Our Correspondent May 06, 2014

A NAB official told on the condition of anonymity, that the accused denied the allegations during the enquiry. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

PESHAWAR: An accountability court on Tuesday sent former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti’s brother Ghazan Hoti to Central Prison after he spent 20 days in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the multi-billion rupee weapons case.

The accused was produced before Judge Zarqaish Sani amid tight security with a large group of his Awami National Party (ANP) supporters present outside the courtroom.

The court was informed that evidence was sent to the NAB’s cybercrime department for examination and a report would be available in the following days.

A NAB official told The Express Tribune, on the condition of anonymity, that the accused denied the allegations during the enquiry and a supplementary reference against him would be submitted in the court on Wednesday (today).

The court then sent Ghazan Hoti to Central Prison Peshawar.

The accused was arrested by officials of NAB Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) after the Peshawar High Court dismissed an extension for his pre-arrest bail on April 15.

He is charged for taking kickbacks worth Rs195 million through a contractor, Arshad Majeed. Hoti denies all charges saying he had no role in the procurement of weapons for the K-P police between 2008 and 2010.

The 10 accused in the case include former IGP Malik Naveed, Ghazan’s brother-in-law Raza Ali Khan and police department’s budget officer Javed Khan.

The suspects allegedly misappropriated Rs2.03 billion out of Rs7 billion in funds allotted for purchasing weapons and other equipment for the provincial police department.

While hearing another case, the court extended the physical remand of the secretary of the provincial Workers Welfare Board, Tariq Awan, by 14 days. The accused was arrested on April 25 for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities.

According to a statement issued by NAB earlier, Awan’s list of offences include illegal appointments, shady procurement deals, misuse of scholarships for labourers’ children and gross violations in land acquisition for labourers’ welfare, causing a loss of millions to the national exchequer.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2014.