In writing: PHC seeks NAB’s reply in bail application

Bureau given one week to submit comments on Ghazan Hoti’s fresh plea.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau to submit a written reply on the bail application of Ghazan Hoti within a week.

The suspect, who is the brother of former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Amir Haider Hoti, was accused of being involved in embezzling Rs2.03 billion in a Rs7 billion contract to procure weapons for the K-P police.

Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah, the counsel of the accused, informed Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan that the bail application was submitted on fresh grounds. He said the main approver, Arshad Majeed, told the court he paid Rs195 million to Raza Ali Khan for onward payment to Ghazan.

Jawad pointed out the voluntarily return application of Raza Ali Khan had already been approved by the NAB chairman and he managed to obtained bail from the PHC. He added Raza never said in his statement that the money was paid to Ghazan.

NAB filed a reference in this case, but is yet to frame charges against Ghazan. His counsel contended the former K-P chief minister’s brother needs to be released on bail.

The court subsequently directed NAB to submit their written comments within a week. Ghazan was arrested by NAB K-P officials after the PHC dismissed the extension of a pre-arrest bail on April 15.

After spending 20 days in NAB’s custody, Ghazan Hoti was sent to Central Prison Peshawar by an accountability court on May 6, 2014 and has been incarcerated since.

On January 29, Raza Ali Khan, a distant relative of Amir Haider Hoti, was released on bail after he submitted a surety bond worth Rs50 million. Former IGP Malik Naveed was also arrested and his bail application was rejected by the PHC. Naveed has now submitted another bail plea citing new grounds.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2015.