NAB arrests PIDC scam case accused

LAHORE: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore Wednesday arrested an accused in Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) embezzlement case.

According to a NAB spokesman, the suspect was identified as Ahmed Bilal Cheema. He said the National Accountability Bureau is investigating financial embezzlement worth Rs 103.25 million in PIDC during the process of land purchase in Sargodha by National Industrial Parks Development (NIPD), a subordinate organisation of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, he added, NAB arrested former Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation CEO Khalid Mehmood Chadda and his accomplice Muhammad Zubair on substantial evidence of embezzlements and gratifications for incurring a loss of Rs 103.25 million (approximately) to government exchequer by misusing authority through illegal sale and procurement of land measuring 800-kanal at exorbitant rates in Sargodha for National Industrial Parks Development.

The spokesman said prime accused Khalid Mahmood Chadda, being chairman of both committees monitoring, audit and finance, purchased the land in violation of PPRA rules from different land owners by illegally signing the bids on exorbitant rates.

Accused Ahmed Bilal Cheema, he said, illegally got Rs 2 million transferred to his accounts from criminal proceeds from the account of accused Muhammad Zubair without having any land or any consideration.

As the accused had no land or any stake in the transaction but received huge criminal proceeds without any consideration in connivance with other accused, NAB arrested him for the recovery of the amount. National Accountability Bureau would produce Ahmed Bilal Cheema before an accountability court o

Three die in accidents: A 40-year-old man was found dead in his quarter in Sabzimandi on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Abdul Majeed. The victim’s body bore marks of torture, police said. The body was shifted to morgue. A 38-year-old man was killed by a speeding van in Shahdara area.

The victim was identified as Abdul Razaaq. He was traveling on a bike when a rashly driven van ran over him, resulting into his death. Yet in another incident, a 58-year-old identified as Ishaq was crushed to death by a Mazda van in Raiwind area.