LHC Allows Bail To Former DG LDA In Assets Beyond Means Case

The court has directed the trial court to conclude trial in assets beyond means case after hearing arguments of both sides.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 7^th, 2021) The Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed bail to the former director general of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in assets beyond means case.

A LHC division comprising Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar announced verdict after hearing arguments of both sides.

Advocate Amjad Pervaiz represented Ahmad Cheema while Syed Faisal Bukhari appeared on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Advocate Amjad Pervaiz argued that the NAB even showed the assets of relatives of Ahad Cheema as his own assets, pointing out that properties of relatives could not come into the category of Benami properties.

The court, however, asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to complete the trial of assets beyond means case against Ahad Cheema within four months as 11 months passed since the order.

The NAB’s prosecutor opposed the bail of Ahad Cheema but the court turned down his plea and granted bail to former DG LDA.

It may be mentioned here that NAB court this year had indicted Ahad Cheema in a supplementary reference in assets beyond means case. The jail authorities produced Cheema before the court where he denied allegations levelled against him. NAB claimed that it had traced 22 properties, out of which 20 were in the name of Ahad Cheema and two were registered in the name of his family members. It also accused Cheema that it owned agricultural land too.

Ahad Cheema was arrested by the anti-graft body over charges of embezzlement in Ashiana Housing Scheme Scam.