Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court threw out the bail petition of former local government secretary in a corruption case involving more than Rs 200 million.

Ali Ahmed Lunda is facing corruption charges of illegally accumulating moveable and immoveable assets estimated to be over Rs 200 million.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh dismissed the bail petition of Lund through a short order.

Dr Farogh Naseem, applicant’s lawyer, contended that his client was facing trial on corruption charges as the NAB had filed a reference against him after completing its enquiry and investigation into the allegations against him. He requested the judges to grant him bail.

Opposing the bail plea, the NAB counsel said that the applicant accumulated assets beyond his known source of income during his appointment on important posts. He had remained local government secretary and member land utilization committee.

He told the judges that Lund’s assets were incompatible with his known legitimate source of income as he had received around Rs10 million under the head of salaries during his employment from 1984 to 2014. However, he purchased petrol pumps and agricultural land through illegal means.

Incriminating evidences were available against Lund, he said while asking the judges to dismiss his bail plea.

Farogh said that his client was willing to return Rs180 million under plea bargain and hence, he was entitled to be released on bail.

To which, Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh said the apex court had given observations against the NAB entering plea bargain deals with accused, therefore, he asked, “How can we accept it.” “People milk money through illegal means at first and when they are caught their conscience pricks them.”

The former top bureaucrat was arrested from Islamabad after the Supreme Court had dismissed his pre-arrest bail plea. He had gone to the apex court after the high court had rejected his bail application in May 2016.

According to NAB officials, the bureau had launched inquiry against him Ali Ahmed Lund in 2014 for allegedly accumulated moveable and immoveable assets through illegal means. Later, the inquiry was turned into the reference.

He was removed from the position in November 2013 following his alleged involvement in making illegal appointments over 12000 employees in his department.

Meanwhile, another bench of the high court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s chairman, director general and a deputy director to file comments on the bail petition of Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA)’s managing director.

STEVTA former managing director Hafeezullah Abbasi, director Munir Shaikh, director finance Muhammad Yousaf Baloch and others have been booked for their alleged involvement in illegal appointments.

Hafeezullah filed the bail petition through his lawyer and submitted that he had nothing to do with the illegal appointments and requested the court to grant him bail.

The hearing was put off till April 24.