RAHIM YAR KHAN: Ex-chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s former principal secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti was granted bail by an Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) court on Tuesday.

According to the Mr Bhatti’s counsel Manzoor Warriach, a case was registered against his client on charges of making an investment of Rs250 million, allegedly earned by unfair means, and partnership in RYK Sugar Mills, owned by former federal minister for industries and production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and former Punjab finance minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht and their brother Makhdoom Sheharyar.

Mr Warriach said Mr Bhatti was arrested by police from Quetta and brought to Rahim Yar Khan on special instructions of ACE Director General Sohail Zafar Chattha.

After the registration of the FIR against Mr Bhatti, ACE had sought his physical remand from the senior civil judge.

Mr Warriach told the civil court that as his client was in police custody for a month and was allegedly tortured in custody, seeking his medical examination.

The court granted his three-day physical remand with direction to the ACE to conduct his medical examination.

Later, Mr Bhatti was shifted to Lahore on a transit remand.

On Tuesday, he was brought to Bahawalnagar, where special judge of ACE Bahawalpur Camp Chaudhry Zia Ullah granted him bail after submission of two bonds of Rs200,000.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2023