Paragon Housing scam: Saad Rafique, brother judicial remand extended till June 13
The Khawaja brothers have been accused of embezzling nearly Rs2 billion
LAHORE (Dunya News) – An accountability court in Lahore on Thursday extended the judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique till June 13 in the Paragon Housing Society case.
Justice Jawad-ul Hassan presided over the hearing of the case, and questioned an investigation officer of the NAB about “the position of the reference in the case.”
Reportedly, Saad could not appear for the hearing yet again as his defense counsel informed the court that his client was in Islamabad for attending a NA session on a production order. However, his brother and former provincial minister for health was produced before the bench. Saad’s production orders were issued till May 30 (today).
The officer told the court that the chairman of the accountability watchdog had officially approved the reference, and it would soon be presented before the court.
The court, while directing the NAB to speed up filing of the reference, adjourned the hearing.
After appearing before the court, Salman lashed out at what he called “a fascist government”, and said the government is taking the country towards devastation.
“Imran Khan has come to the public as a punishment,” he said, adding that it has become extremely difficult for the public to survive under such an inflation in the country.
Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of police was deployed around the court to prevent any untoward incident.
On May 16, the court extended their judicial remand till May 30.
On May 2, the court had extended their judicial remand till May 16 in the same case. The Khawaja brothers have been accused of embezzling nearly Rs2 billion.
In all previous hearings, their defense counsel had repeatedly maintained before the court that the details of banking transactions of the last ten years had been handed over to the NAB.
However, NAB’s prosecutor had informed the court that according to records of the Paragon Housing Society an amount of Rs2 billion was transferred to sons of Salman Rafique and Nadeem Zia.
Moreover, the Khawaja brothers are also accused of embezzlement in the scheme by exchanging 50 kanals of their land for 20 two-kanal plots each owned by the Paragon City.
Earlier on April 26, the NAB Lahore approved the filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption in the same case.
The decision was taken in a regional board meeting that was attended by NAB Lahore’s director general and other directors.
According to the handout, Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the NAB, and he was also arrested in November last year. Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia.
Butt and Zia established a company “Air Avenue” in the year 2003; however the name was later changed to Paragon City private (Pvt) Limited.
Earlier on Feb 2, the court had rejected a request made by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for another extension in the physical remand of the Khawaja brothers in the case, and sent them on judicial remand.
On December 11, 2018, they were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their bail plea.
The NAB had launched an investigation into the alleged scam in November last year after a number of victims staged protests and held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club against what they termed the housing society’s fraud.
