PHC grants bail to academician in illegal appointments case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday granted bail to the chairman of Department of Physics at the Islamia College University.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) had arrested Dr Naeem Khalid for his alleged involvement in illegal appointments and embezzlement in the purchase of computers.A division bench comprising Justice Nisar Hussain Khan and Justice Lal Jan Khattak ordered the release of Dr Naeem Khalid on bail.

The bench also confirmed the pre-arrest bail of former vice-chancellor of Islamia College University Ajmal Khan in the case.The KPEC arrested Naeem Khalid on November 4 on charges of misuse of authority and corrupt practices. During the course of hearing, Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah appearing for the petitioner submitted that National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had already held an inquiry into the matter.

He said that NAB had closed the case after it failed to prove illegality and embezzlement against the petitioner and others. The counsel argued that the Governor's Inspection Team had also conducted inquiry into the matter and cleared the petitioner and others. The lawyer submitted that KPEC arrested the petitioner even though he was not concerned with the appointments in the university.

He submitted that the petitioner wasn't directly involved in the purchase of computers. He said that he could only give his opinion to the purchase committee. He said the petitioner was accused of favouring the appointment of Ghayyur Muhammad as deputy registrar, but he was in the United States when the appointment was made.

The KPEC prosecutor submitted that Dr Naeem Khalid was involved in illegal appointments and misappropriation of funds during the procurement of equipment for the department. The prosecutor  said that Dr Naeem Khalid illegally appointed lecturers at his department and pocketed money in the purchase of 300 computers. The prosecutor said the former vice-chancellor was also involved in wrongdoings.