Hyd-Sukkur motorway scam: Accused seeks plea bargain with NAB

KARACHI: The main suspect in the M6 Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway mega corruption scandal has sought a plea bargain deal with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

NAB arrested Ashiq Hussain Kaleri in Karachi on January 21 in connection with the inquiry into the land scam of the M6 Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway.

Sources privy to the development said the main accused Ashiq Kaleri has submitted plea bargain with the NAB in the motorway scam.

The accused has offered to voluntarily return the money under plea bargain to the bureau. Kaleri has agreed to provide all the details to NAB through an affidavit after his confession, said sources.

Following the plea, the NAB officials have started to estimate the properties owned by Ashiq Kaleri, the decision for the approval or rejection of the plea bargain will be taken later.

The case

According to documents, the National Highway Authority had released an amount of Rs. 4.09 billion to DC Matiari for purchase of the land for the motorway. The accused drawn Rs 1.82 billion cash from bank for the procurement of land for 70 kilometers of the road.

An amount of Rs four billion was transferred to another account by the accused and earned 540 million rupees profit. AC New Saeedabad paid cash to the landowners instead of cheques.