LAHORE: Punjab’s anti-corruption watchdog has claimed the recovery of Rs4.1 million from the house of former chief minister Parvez Ealhi.

The PTI leader has denied the claim and called it “a lie”.

The claim of recovery was made by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment’s (ACE) director legal on Saturday while appearing before a magistrate in the case of illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly against Mr Elahi.

“We took Parvez Elahi to his home last night and recovered Rs4.1m,” the official told the court while requesting to extend the ex-CM’s physical remand.

He was presented before the magistrate on the expiry of his previous two-day remand.

Ex-CM’s remand extended for two days

Mr Elahi’s counsel, Advocate Amir Saeed Rawn, rejected the ACE claim, saying no one went to his client’s residence. He sought information given to the local police station before the raid.

The ACE director said the agency was not bound to inform the local police station before a raid. He said the investigation was being conducted “strictly in accordance with law and keeping in view the suspect’s age”.

Mr Elahi said he was ready to state under oath that ACE’s claim was a lie. “They just told a lie. They have not made any recovery.”

Rejecting the charges against him, Mr Elahi said he would curse on anyone who’d take bribes for giving government jobs. “My family has never done such acts.”

Advocate Rawn argued a committee had selected candidates for the appointments in question.

None of the successful candidates gave statement to the ACE about giving bribes to Mr Elahi, he added.

“Some selected candidates who made the accusations later quit their jobs.” “How can a person quit a job secured after paying money,” the lawyer questioned.

Calling the defence counsel’s arguments “premature”, the prosecutor said they were not relevant to remand proceedings.

He requested the magistrate to extend Mr Elahi’s physical remand to complete the investigation.

Magistrate Imran Abid reserved his verdict and announced it half an hour later, extending the physical remand for two more days.

The ACE has been ordered to present Mr Elahi on Oct 31.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2023