LAHORE - A judicial magistrate yesterday sent Punjab Energy Department’s former chief finance officer Ikram Naveed to jail on judicial remand on charges of embezzlement of Rs 230 million.

During the hearing, Mushtaq Ahmad Mohl Advocate, the counsel of the suspect, argued that his client had fully cooperated with the investigating agencies and nothing was proved against him. He said his client be released as the amount on his part had also been paid back to the state.

He said the real accused who embezzled the public money including Ali Imran, son-in-law and daughter of an important political figure of the province were not nominated even in the FIRs. 

After hearing both sides, the magistrate sent Ikram Naveed to jail on judicial remand.

Previously, accused Ikram Naveed through his counsel told the judge that Ali Imran was involved in misappropriation of Rs 230 million of Punjab Energy Department.  He said but no one could dare to nominate him in the FIRs registered by the ACE.  ACE officials, however, denied involvement of Ali Imran and his wife Fatima Shehbaz in the said scam.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment arrested four senior officials of Punjab Energy Department including Chief Executive Officer Syed Farrukh Ali Shah, Deputy Secretary PED Shakeel Ahmad, Chief Finance Officer Ikram Naveed and GM PED Ihsanul Majeed when it was revealed that Rs 230 million had been embezzled. ACE registered two FIRs: 14/2016 and 29/2016 in which all above four officials were nominated.