NAB arrests former Punjab principal secretary in corruption case

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former principal secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti in a corruption case and illegal recruitments.

NAB Lahore took Bhatti into custody from Central Jail Gujranwala to further the investigation. He will be presented to the Accountability Court in Lahore tomorrow (Monday) for physical remand.

Muhammad Khan Bhatti is considered a close aide of PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He is accused of corruption in construction contracts worth Rs1 billion. He is also allegedly involved in illegal recruitments in Gujrat.

The recruitment was done by hiring Meher Azmat Hayat as an Additional Engineer (XEN) in the Punjab Highway Department. Azmat Hayat was the favourite contractor used for bribery in contracts.

Accused Muhammad Khan Bhatti colluded with the co-accused to get 116 development schemes approved in Gujarat and distributed contracts worth one billion rupees.

The former secretary used to take the commission amount before the completion of projects and the amount was transferred to the accounts of Pervaiz Elahi and Moonis Elahi.

Earlier, former chief minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi was re-arrested from in Lahore, hours after the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered his release.

Islamabad capital police arrested the veteran politician under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and whisked him away to the federal capital. He has been kept at the Attock Jail and has challenged his detention in court.