NAB arrests Pervez Elahi's close aide over graft charges

The accountability watchdog has reportedly arrested Muhammad Khan Bhatti, the principal secretary of the former Punjab chief minister, Parvez Elahi.

According to officials in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Muhammad Khan Bhatti has been arrested over charges of embezzlement to the tune of Rs1 billion in the award of development contracts. He is accused of the misuse of authority and involvement in illegal recruitments in Gujrat and other cities.

The accused, with the connivance of his abettors, including Mehar Azmat Hayat, a Punjab Highway Department XEN, managed to approve 116 development schemes in Gujrat, minting more than Rs1 billion allegedly.

The alleged corruption money, the NAB officials point out, was then transferred to the personal bank accounts of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Moonis Elahi and Muhammad Khan Bhatti.

The NAB Lahore, pursuing the case, took the accused in custody from the Gujranwala Central Jail to be produced before an accountability court in Lahore on September 4 (Monday).

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt