Parvez Elahi granted bail in forest land reference

RAWALPINDI: Judge Ijaz Ali of Special Accountability Court Rawalpindi approved the bail application of Parvez Elahi in a reference, filed over embezzlement of 6,000 kanals of forest land, and ordered for depositing Rs500,000 bonds.

The court also approved an application for exemption from presence of Parvez Elahi for hearing, issued notices to the parties concerned and adjourned hearing till May 21.

On Wednesday, 14 accused including Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, along with his lawyer Aamir Saeed Raan, appeared in the court besides Federal Deputy Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, Shahid Nawaz, Sardar Tahir Ayub, Mirza Usman and Moazzam Ali. Parvez Elahi, through his son Chaudhry Rasikh Elahi, submitted surety bonds worth Rs500,000, and filed a petition for complete exemption from appearance.

The court accepted the petition for hearing and issued notices to the parties concerned and adjourned the hearing till May 21.

A report regarding the death of one accused Abdul Zahoor and execution of arrest warrants of two accused was presented in the court. While requesting to declare both the accused as proclaimed offenders, the court was informed that both the accused were absconding.

The National Accountability Bureau had filed a reference on February 2 this year over alleged misappropriation of 6,000 kanals of Takht Padi forest land, in which 18 accused including Chaudhry Parvez Elahi were nominated.