Court accepts NAB plea to close graft case against Chaudhry brothers

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Earlier today, Accountability Judge Jawadul Hassan had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor.

The prosecutor had contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city.

He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam.

He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders.

Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a Lahore Development Authority (LDA) case over lack of evidence.

“The decision to close the inquiry was taken during a meeting of the bureau’s executive board,” a spokesperson for the anti-graft watchdog said in a statement.

The bureau had initiated a probe against the Chaudhry brothers over purchase of 28 plots in LDA city.