LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Tuesday remanded former Punjab minister for Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Sibtain Khan in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody for eight more days in a case related to alleged corruption and illegal award of contracts.
Accountability Judge Amir Ahmed Khan directed NAB to produce the PTI MPA before him on July 03.
Khan was produced before the court amid tight security on completion of his 10-day remand.
The NAB prosecutor requested an extension in the accused’s remand for further interrogation in the case.
He stated before the court that Khan, as Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals, illegally awarded a contract of multi billion rupee worth of 500 metric tonnes of iron ore in Rajwah and Chiniot in 2007.
The contract was awarded to the company which had no experience in the relevant field, the prosecutor claimed.
Khan’s lawyer, however, stated that the corruption watchdog had already shelved an inquiry into the alleged scam. A probe carried out into the matter by NAB previously held that the national kitty didn’t suffer any loss.
Besides, he said, all relevant record has been given to the anti-graft watchdog and thus, there is no need to hand over the custody of his client to NAB on further physical remand.