Weapons scam: Accountability court restrained from issuing order on summons application
Asks lower court, six former and serving senior officials summoned by NAB to submit replies in a week.
Asks lower court, six former and serving senior officials summoned by NAB to submit replies in a week. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has restrained an accountability court from issuing a final order on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) application of summoning six suspects, including the incumbent Frontier Constabulary commandant, in a multi-billion rupees weapons scam.
The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth also issued notices to all six respondents in NAB’s petition, asking them to submit replies within a week.
The case pertains to embezzlement of public funds in the purchase of weapons and other equipment for the provincial police in 2008-10.
The six suspects include then additional IGP and present Frontier Constabulary Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan, former additional IGP operations Abdul Latif Khan, DIG Central Police Office (CPO) Sajid Ali Khan, former DIG headquarters Muhammad Suleman Khan, then AIG establishment CPO Khashil Alam and former DIG telecommunications Sadiq Kamal Orakzai.
NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Jamil Saraf on Thursday told the bench that the bureau has filed a reference of corruption worth Rs2.03 billion against former IGP Malik Naveed and nine others in the case.
A previous order of the accountability court observed that the status of the six officials in question is neither highlighted nor defined by NAB as its reference is mum in this behalf.
Saraf said the accountability court had earlier issued notices to only four suspects and declined to summon the six senior serving and retired officials. The accountability court in its order had said that reference against them is not clear.
The bench was further informed that the order of the accountability court should be suspended so these officials can be summoned for hearing in the instant case.
“The six individuals are not cooperating with NAB. They must be summoned to the accountability court for hearing,” Saraf said.
The court then issued notices to six respondents and the accountability court to file replies within one week. The accountability court was restrained from issuing any final order till PHC disposes of this petition.
On May 19, accountability court judge Muhammad Ibrahim Khan reserved his judgment till June 2 on NAB’s application seeking to summon the six suspects. The order was not announced as the bureau approached the high court for remedy. The next date of hearing at the accountability court is June 14.
Former IGP Malik Naveed, former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan Hoti and his relative Raza Ali Khan are currently in Central Prison Peshawar.
The total amount for the procurement contract was Rs7 billion and NAB claims Rs2.03 billion was embezzled. The three accused in jail and budget officer Javed Khan are suspected of taking kickbacks while the six suspects have been charged for criminal negligence during the contract’s approval.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2014.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has restrained an accountability court from issuing a final order on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) application of summoning six suspects, including the incumbent Frontier Constabulary commandant, in a multi-billion rupees weapons scam.
The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth also issued notices to all six respondents in NAB’s petition, asking them to submit replies within a week.
The case pertains to embezzlement of public funds in the purchase of weapons and other equipment for the provincial police in 2008-10.
The six suspects include then additional IGP and present Frontier Constabulary Commandant Abdul Majeed Khan, former additional IGP operations Abdul Latif Khan, DIG Central Police Office (CPO) Sajid Ali Khan, former DIG headquarters Muhammad Suleman Khan, then AIG establishment CPO Khashil Alam and former DIG telecommunications Sadiq Kamal Orakzai.
NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Jamil Saraf on Thursday told the bench that the bureau has filed a reference of corruption worth Rs2.03 billion against former IGP Malik Naveed and nine others in the case.
A previous order of the accountability court observed that the status of the six officials in question is neither highlighted nor defined by NAB as its reference is mum in this behalf.
Saraf said the accountability court had earlier issued notices to only four suspects and declined to summon the six senior serving and retired officials. The accountability court in its order had said that reference against them is not clear.
The bench was further informed that the order of the accountability court should be suspended so these officials can be summoned for hearing in the instant case.
“The six individuals are not cooperating with NAB. They must be summoned to the accountability court for hearing,” Saraf said.
The court then issued notices to six respondents and the accountability court to file replies within one week. The accountability court was restrained from issuing any final order till PHC disposes of this petition.
On May 19, accountability court judge Muhammad Ibrahim Khan reserved his judgment till June 2 on NAB’s application seeking to summon the six suspects. The order was not announced as the bureau approached the high court for remedy. The next date of hearing at the accountability court is June 14.
Former IGP Malik Naveed, former chief minister Amir Haider Hoti’s brother Amir Ghazan Hoti and his relative Raza Ali Khan are currently in Central Prison Peshawar.
The total amount for the procurement contract was Rs7 billion and NAB claims Rs2.03 billion was embezzled. The three accused in jail and budget officer Javed Khan are suspected of taking kickbacks while the six suspects have been charged for criminal negligence during the contract’s approval.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2014.