Court extends judicial remand of accused in Chiniot mining contract case

LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore has made an extension in judicial remand of three accused persons for 14 days in Chiniot mining contract case, ARY News reported on Friday.

The accountability court’s judge Chaudhry Ameer Muhammad Khan resumed the hearing of the case where the lawyer of Sibtain Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader and former provincial minister for forestry, wildlife and fisheries, submitted his plea to get an exemption from personal appearance.

Later, the court accepted the plea of Sibtain Khan.

During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) lawyer said that the accused persons awarded Chiniot iron tender to its blue-eyed company despite the contract worth billion for extracting mineral resources. The lawyer added that the accused persons caused a major dent to the national exchequer.

Read: PTI leader Sibtain Khan released on bail complying LHC orders

The anti-corruption watchdog sought an extension in remand of the accused persons which was later accepted by the accountability court. Judge Chaudhry Ameer Muhammad Khan approved an extension of the judicial remand for 14 days.

The hearing was adjourned till November 15.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab’s former forestry minister and PTI leader Sibtain Khan had been released after furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs5 million with two sureties over the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on September 28.

Read: Sibtain Khan seeks exemption from appearance in Chiniot mining contract case

Sibtain Khan was released after the issuance of ‘robkar [mandamus]’ by an accountability court in Lahore following the acceptance of his post-arrest bail plea in LHC under Article 199.

Sibtain Khan had tendered his resignation from the post of provincial minister for forestry, wildlife and fisheries after being arrested on Friday by the NAB in relation to corruption charges against him.

The PTI leader was allegedly involved in handing out illegal tenders in his ministry. He previously held the provincial ministry for natural resources in 2007. He was previously a member of Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) before joining PTI.