PHC grants bail to ex-IGP Malik Naveed

Weapons procurement case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued release order of the former inspector general of police Malik Naveed Khan on bail in the multi-billion rupees weapons purchase scam in the provincial police department.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Lal Jan Khattak announced the release order of the former IGP on bail. It directed him to secure his release on bail by submitting two surety bonds worth Rs5 million each.

The court had reserved its judgement in the case after hearing arguments of the lawyers. Naveed Khan’s lawyer argued that he should be freed on medical grounds after suffering long delays in the trial in the accountability court.

On the request of the petitioner, the PHC had also constituted a medical board and the report also proposed treatment of the petitioner in a better hospital as he was a heart patient. The petitioner’s lawyer Abdul Sattar Khan argued that three senior police officers have also joined the trial in the case after three years and this will further delay the case for four or five years and thus the petitioner will remain in prison for many years without trial.

He requested the court to release the petitioner on bail as he was cooperating with the NAB and also will contest the case in the court as he needs proper treatment.

However, the NAB prosecutor opposed his release on bail and submitted that the Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court had already refused bail to him in the case. However, the prosecutor failed to defend the long delay in starting trial of the petitioner in the accountability court.

Earlier, the high court and Supreme Court had dismissed bail petitions of the former IGP on merit in the weapons procurement case.The counsels for the petitioner, including Abdul Sattar Khan and Wajid Sattar submitted that the high court dismissed Malik Naveed’s bail petition filed on point of delay in the trial with the direction to the accountability court to conclude the trial within four months. The lawyers said the prosecution failed to conclude the trial within four months

Malik Naveed was arrested for his role in the scam concerning procurement of weapons and vehicles for the police force.The NAB KP arrested Malik Naveed on November 20, 2013 on the charges of receiving kickbacks in the procurement of weapons and vehicles for the Police Department.

The provincial government had approved the purchase of weapons and equipment to counter the challenge posed by terrorists and provided more than Rs7 billion for the purpose.

According to NAB, it was revealed during the inquiry that gross violation of procurement rules was committed by the purchase committee in awarding tenders to its favourite contractors even though they had no experience of supplying the items for which payments were made in advance.

In the instant case, private contractor Arshad Majeed and budget officer of police Javed Khan were arrested on February 21, 2013. The former was released on bail by the high court after he turned approver and agreed to voluntarily return Rs102 million.