ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Friday again extended the physical remand of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry for another three days in a corruption case.

The duty Accountability Court judge, Shahrukh Arjumand, while announcing its reserved judgment, extended Chaudhry’s physical remand in the case of misappropriation in land procurement for Pind Dadan Khan-Jhelum Road construction.

Earlier, NAB officials produced Chaudhry before the court after the expiry of his previous three-day remand and requested the court to extend the physical remand to conduct further investigation of the accused.

The prosecutor told the court that two persons had been summoned for recording their statement but they did not appear before the investigators. The NAB has required more time for the completion of the investigation, he said.

Defence counsel Raja Aamir Abbas, while arguing before the court whatever order will be issued must mention the point that the accountability judge was on duty but he was not present in the courtroom. He said that he had never seen such a situation in his 31 years long practice. He said that they should present the no objection certificate (NOC) of the housing society due to which they made allegations against his client. “The only objective of completion of 30 days’ remand is to keep his client out of the election process”, he said, adding that the NAB has so far not proved corruption of a single penny. The court, after hearing arguments, reserved its verdict. Later, while announcing its judgment extended Chaudhry’s remand for another three days.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024