LAHORE: An accountability court has extended the judicial remand of former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema for 13 days in a case pertaining to assets beyond known sources of income.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore had filed the reference against Cheema in October 2018.
With an accountability court taking up for hearing Cheema’s case Friday, NAB officials sought an extension in the accused’s remand. They also said that a supplementary reference would also be filed against Cheema and the charges would be framed later on.
The judge ordered the anti-corruption watchdog officials to finalise the process and approved the extension in Cheema’s remand.
The court also ordered producing Cheema once again on January 17.
According to NAB, Ahad Cheema possesses assets worth Rs600 million and has failed to satisfy the bureau regarding his sources of income.
The properties owned by the ex-LDA DG allegedly include several plots in various housing schemes in Lahore and Islamabad, agricultural lands, flats and houses. The properties are registered in his mother, wife and other relatives’ names.
Cheema was arrested in February 2018 over charges of misusing his authority by awarding the contract of the Ashiana Housing Scheme worth Rs14 billion to Lahore Casa Developers that was ineligible for the same.
NAB had filed a reference against Cheema and five others in June over their alleged role in the Ashiana Housing Scheme scam case.
