LAHORE: An accountability court has rejected the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for the grant of two-day physical remand of former prime minister’s principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad and co-accused Muhammad Yaqub, and sent them on 14-day judicial remand.
The court also extended the judicial remand of former LDA director general Ahad Cheema for 15 days in Ashiyana Iqbal Housing Scheme scandal.
Najamul Hassan Bokhari, the Administrative Judge, Accountability Courts, heard the case against accused Fawad Hasan. During the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that the accused was still required for investigation.
It was told that the accused, who was principal secretary of the former prime minister, had committed offences of corruption with active aid, abetment and assistance of private individual as well as government officials. Accordingly, physical custody of the accused is essential to conclude the inquiry by securing the evidence and indentifying the other co-accused, the prosecution said. Whereas, based upon the above-narrated facts, huge volume of financial transactions, complex record and adamant attitude of the accused, further remand is required, the prosecution requested to the court.
Physical custody of the accused is necessary to further associate him in the process of investigation so as to secure the incriminating evidence, the court was further told.
“During the remand, Waqar Hassan, brother of the accused, joined investigation proceedings. He (Waqar) was inquired regarding transfer of funds into his account from Kamran Kayani, the owner of Conpro Services Pvt Limited. He stated that he had family relations with Kamran Kayanai for the last 25 years. He further stated that Kamran Kayani has transferred money into his accounts and his family members. He was further inquired whether he had any agreement with Kamran Kayani regarding borrowing of the amount, but he failed to submit any plausible reply. Accused Fawad is being inquired regarding the transfer of these funds,” it was argued.
On the other side, the defence counsel said that the accused had been in the physical remand for the last 89 days and according to the law, remand could not be granted.
