Accountability Court extends Cheema, other suspects’ physical remand for 14 days in Ashiana scam

F.P. Report

LAHORE: An accountability court hearing the mega corruption case of Ashiana housing scam on Tuesday extended by 14 days, the physical remand of former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema, chief executive officer (CEO) of Bismillah Engineering Shahid Shafiq and two others accused in the case.

Ahad Cheema, Shafiq and two others accused were presented in the court on Tuesday by National Accountability Bureau seeking an extension in the suspects’ physical remand.

NAB officials informed the court that further investigation is required in the case, including forensic examination of Cheema’s laptop.

After reserving its verdict, the court extended the remand for 14 days and directed NAB to produce the suspects on April 17.

Moreover today, the Lahore High Court rejected Cheema’s plea against his arrest by NAB.

On March 20, the Interior Ministry blacklisted Cheema from obtaining a passport and an accountability court approved an extension of his physical remand.

NAB is investigating allegations that Cheema, by misuse of authority and with criminal intent, awarded a contract of the Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing project of approximately Rs14 billion to Lahore Casa Developers, a joint-venture which was ineligible for the contract.