Paragon scandal: Saad Rafique, brother granted bail extension

LAHORE: Former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Salman Rafique have been accorded extension in their protective bails until November 14 for their alleged involvement in Paragon Housing Scheme scam.

According to details, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday extended the bails for 20 days as Khawaja brothers appeared before the court to request prolonging their protective bails for another time.

The brothers would have been arrested by the National Accountability Bureau as, the sources told, the anti-corruption body possesses the arrest warrants, accorded by the NAB chairman, of the brothers duo.

Previously, the Lahore High Court granted interim bail to PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique against a surety of Rs500, 000 each until Oct 24 in the corruption case.

The Interior Ministry on the request of the anti-graft watchdog had placed the names of the former federal minister and his brother on the blacklist.

Besides the two PML-N leaders, the name of Chief Executive of Paragon Housing Society Lahore Qaiser Amin Butt was also put on the blacklist.

NAB had launched an investigation into the scandal after protests by dozens of victims against the housing society fraud.

Last month, Khawaja Saad Rafique appeared before a NAB team to answer its queries over his alleged involvement in the Paragon Housing Society corruption scandal.