In a major development, an accountability court on Tuesday approved the application of an accused – legal adviser to Tauqir Sadiq, former OGRA chief and the main accused – in the Rs 82 billion corruption case and accepted his assistance in the investigation.
The court also directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to produce Tauqeer Sadiq on February 28.
The Accountability Court of Rawalpindi accepted the application of Shahzad Saleem Bhatti, legal advisor to former OGRA chief, who is accused of extending undue favours to private companies and causing a loss of Rs 82 billion to the national exchequer.
Rawalpindi Accountability Court Judge Chaudhry Shahid Naseer resumed the hearing of OGRA corruption case on Tuesday. During the course of hearing, Bhatti filed an application before the court, offering to cooperate with officials investigating the multi-billion rupee corruption case.
On December 30, 2012, a NAB team arrested Bhatti, who is the son of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA from Burewala Sardar Khalid Saleem Bhatti, in connection with the OGRA corruption case.
Bhatti is accused to be Tauqir Sadiq’s front man. Sadiq allegedly received more than Rs 50 million from various parties for approving their licenses for opening CNG stations.
According to the prosecutors, Bhatti allegedly received Rs 3 million, each from Muhammad Iqbal Bhatti, Muhammad Saleem Chohan of Arifwala, Muhammad Shafique Butt of Muzafargarh, Mirza Shahzad Ahmad of Burewala, Sprint Energy of Bahwalnagar, Hasilpur among others. The former legal adviser to OGRA chief also submitted a “voluntary return” of Rs 6 million in the shape of a pay order in favour of NAB chairman regarding the case.
During the course of hearing, the court also enquired about the arrest of the principal accused, Tauqir Sadiq.
NAB Additional Deputy Prosecutor General Sheikh Ghulam Abbas told the court that the investigating officer of the case was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to execute the warrants for Sadiq’s arrest. The court adjourned the hearing of the case until February 28.
