The lawyers completed cross examination of two witnesses in the case.
LAHORE:(Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Nov 13th, 2019) An accountability court on Wednesday extended till November 21 the judicial remand of PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafiq and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafiq in Paragon city scam.
As the proceedings commenced, the NAB officials produced both brothers Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Salman Rafiq before the court. The lawyers completed cross examination of two witnesses. After lenghty arguments, the court extended judicial remand of both brothers and put off further proceedings till Nov 21.
On Oct 16, the same court rejected petitions of both Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Khawaja Salman Rafiq seeking their acquittal in paragon city case. Accountability Court Judge Jawadul Hassan was hearing the case. The judge after dismissing the plea of Khawaja brothers directed the NAB officials to keep continue their proceedings in accordance with the law. The court also sought witnesses’ statement about their role in Paragon city.
In thiere bail plea, Khawaja brothers had questioned the jurisdiction of the NAB court and requested the court for their acquittal in the case. They denied their role in corruptin of Paragon City.
The lawyers argued that disputes regarding a private business did not come under the jurisdiction of NAB Ordinance, 1990 while their clients were innocent and had nothing to do with the corruption. They counsels argued that SECP was the right forum to look into the matter under the Companies Aact 2017.
In the reference against Khwaja brothers, NAB had said that the accused brothers bagged around Rs 18.2 millioin from M/s paragon City (Pvt) Limited in their bank accounts. The NAB said that both brothers established a housing project in the name of Air Avenue and deprived the public at large from their money.
Both leaders belonged to PML-N as Khwaja Saad Rafiq served as Federal Minister for Railways while Salman Rafiq was Minister for Specialized Healthcare Punjab. But both were arrested by the anti-graft boy over charges of plundering money from the citizens in the name of fake housing scheme and for their role in Paragon city scam.
