Eden Housing society scam accused arrested after PM seeks report

ISLAMABAD: The affectees of the multi-billion rupees Eden Housing Society Lahore scam protesting for the return of their hard earned money and swift legal action, got timely relief after Prime Minister Imran Khan sought a report from the quarters concerned regarding involvement of the accused.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) swung into action and arrested Murtaza Amjad, the son-in-law of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, from Dubai.

Last week, the affected people held a demonstration outside Zaman Park residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore, requesting him to help them recover their looted money from the influential group that launched the housing scheme with false promises of providing shelter and plots.

They also demanded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government to take measures for bringing back the Eden Housing group owner Dr Amjad and other accused from abroad.

According to details, the number of affected people stood around 10,000. In April, Dr Amjad and his two sons fled the country after the interior ministry did not respond to a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for placing their names on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, talking to media persons outside the Parliament House on Wednesday, alluded to the details of the the multi-billion fraud in Eden Housing Society Lahore and informed that Murtaza Amjad had been arrested by the FIA from Dubai.

He said the arrest of Murtaza Amjad was manifestation of the fact that the government was serious in the process of accountability.

Fawad said the prime minister had sought a report about the other accused, including Arsalan Iftikhar, the son of former chief justice, his daughter and her father-in-law Dr Amjad, who is the owner of the scheme.

The minister said the scam had surfaced during the tenure of Iftikhar Chaudhry as chief justice, who gave relief to the accused.

The criminal proceedings were initiated against them by the National Accountability Bureau over the charges of depriving thousands of affectees of their hard earned money worth billions of rupees, he added.