Bail pleas of Khawaja brothers adjourned

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Monday adjourned hearing of bail petitions, filed by former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother former provincial minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, in Paragon City scam till May 29. The division bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard the post-arrest bail petitions, filed by the Khawaja brothers.

At the outset of the proceedings, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor submitted a detailed reply and record in the court. He submitted that investigation had been completed from Khawaja brothers, in response to a court query.

He further submitted that investigation report would be filed in the trial court within next two, three days, while a reference had been sent to the chairman for approval.

However, the defence counsel argued that all allegations levelled against his clients were baseless. He claimed that Khawaja brothers were neither owners of the Paragon nor they served as its directors. Replying to the NAB allegations, he submitted that the Khawaja brothers got plot in the scheme in exchange for a piece of land, and received commission from different clients for their services and the commission amounts were transferred to their accounts. Subsequently, the bench adjourned further hearing till May 29 and sought final arguments from the parties.