Court Delays Indictment Of Parvez Elahi, Others In PA Illegal Appointments Case

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Apr, 2024) An anti-corruption court on Thursday once again delayed the indictment of former chief minister of Punjab, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, and others in the Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case.

Anti-Corruption Court Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case proceedings, during which the Adiala Jail officials did not produce the former chief minister. However, the officials submitted a medical report of Parvez Elahi, stating that he was admitted to the hospital for treatment and unable to travel. As a result, the court postponed the indictment and adjourned further hearing of the illegal appointments case until April 18.

It is worth mentioning that the court had summoned all accused for indictment on April 4 in the previous hearing, but Parvez Elahi could not be produced.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab had registered the case, accusing Parvez Elahi of unlawful appointments and kickbacks. Allegedly, qualified candidates were denied positions while those who had not taken exams were appointed.

The ACE claimed that, as the then chief minister, Parvez Elahi misused his authority by influencing appointments after receiving bribes.

Meanwhile, an accountability court also delayed the indictment of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and other accused in a case of receiving kickbacks in development projects, by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Accountability Court Judge Zubair Shahzad Kiyani conducted the case proceedings, wherein Parvez Elahi was not produced. The jail officials submitted a medical report of Parvez Elahi, stating that he was admitted to the hospital and unable to travel.

The NAB had accused Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi of receiving over Rs 1 billion as kickbacks through intermediaries in more than 200 development projects in Gujrat district during his second term as chief minister of Punjab.

It is worth mentioning here that Moonis Elahi had already been declared a proclaimed offender in the case due to continuous absence.