The National Accountability Bureau has filed a corruption reference in Lahore’s accountability court against PTI President Parvez Elahi and 12 others, alleging the receipt of Rs1.23 billion in bribes in connection with development project contracts in Gujrat, it emerged Saturday.
The watchdog has nominated Elahi, along with his son, Moonis, and 11 others in the reference. The father-son duo has been identified as prime suspects, who, according to the reference, have allegedly received the highest kickbacks among all others, totalling Rs744 million.
The ex-chief minister was arrested in the same case in August this year, subsequently being granted bail by the court. Elahi is, presently, confronting several cases, including an FIA money laundering case and allegations of illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly.
According to the NAB reference filed with the Lahore court, the suspects “with dishonest intent and by misusing their authority to collect kickbacks,” sanctioned additional schemes of the Highways Department in two constituencies of Gujrat under the supervision of Elahi, his son Moonis and their close aides.
“They misused their authority and official positions to get appointed their confidant and trustworthy officers in Punjab Highways Department, with dishonest intentions to get illegal monetary gains / kickbacks / commissions for themselves,” the reference claimed.
The watchdog said the “evidence collected and witnesses recorded speaks volume of unlawful actions/misuse of authority with dishonest/illegal intent on the part of accused persons.”
It further alleged that the accused persons allegedly “received kickbacks and commissions as illegal gains and possessed the crime proceeds into different bank accounts to create a financial layering”.
In the reference, NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (Retd) Nazir Ahmed said: “It would be proper and just to proceed further against the accused persons as there is sufficient incriminating material available on record to justify filing of reference against them.”
