PESHAWAR: An accountability court on Friday convicted a former general manager of the National Highway Authority on the charge of possessing illegal assets and awarded 14 months imprisonment and Rs17.7 million fine to him besides ordering the forfeiture of his properties.

Judge Naveed Ahmad Khan pronounced the order after the accused, Yousaf Ali, who also remained a member of the NHA’s executive board, pleaded guilty to the offence.

The convict was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Mar 2017, on the charge of possessing assets disproportionate to the known sources of his income. After remaining imprisoned for many months, he secured bail from the high court.

The court ruled that the time spent by the convict behind bars should be counted in his jail term.

A co-accused in the case, Inam Khan, who the NAB claimed was a benamidar of the convict, has pleaded not guilty.

Accountability court awards 14 months jail, Rs17.7m fine to him

The court fixed Mar 19 for his trial.

The NAB has claimed that during inquiry against the convict, it was revealed that he had remained posted against important posts including NHA’s general manager and had amassed illegal assets.

The NAB claims that the forfeited properties included a four kanal plot at Phase 2 Hayatabad, Peshawar; three plots of one kanal each at NHA Foundation Scheme Islamabad, Pak-PWD Housing Scheme Islamabad and DHA City Karachi, and two vehicles.

It added that the forfeited assets valued more than Rs100 million.

Certain properties, which are in the name of the convict’s spouse, have not been forfeited as she has been engaged in a legal battle claiming that the said properties belonged to her and not to her husband.

Meanwhile, the court confirmed orders for the freezing of properties of two brothers from Mardan, including Fakhr Alam and Roohulllah, who have been charged with cheating public at large on the pretext of providing them with precious plots in Kamra Model Town, Attock.

Few days ago, the NAB had ordered the freezing of properties of the two accused persons and had referred the issued to the accountability court for confirmation under the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The court asked Attock’s deputy commissioner to freeze the lands registered in the name of the accused.

The NAB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had started an inquiry against the accused last year after receiving complaints from some affected persons.

During inquiry, it found that the accused had received millions of rupees from people for plots but they didn’t deliver the plots.

An investigation officer of the NAB informed the court that investigation was in progress and after its completion within three months, a reference would be filed against the accused.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2020