Khawaja brothers’ judicial remand extended

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday extended judicial remand of former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother former provincial minister Khawaja Salman Rafique in Paragon City scam, till June 27. Accountability Court Judge Syed Jawadul Hassan conducted the proceedings wherein the jail officials produced the Khawaja brothers.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor told the court that the reference against Khawaja brothers had been sent to NAB chairman for approval and it would be filed immediately after approval.

At this, the court extended judicial remand of Khawaja brothers till June 27 while adjourning the further hearing. Khawaja brothers’ post-arrest bail petitions had been pending before a Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench. They were arrested on Dec 11, 2018 after an LHC division bench dismissed their pre-arrest bail petitions. The bureau had alleged that Khawaja brothers launched Paragon City housing project through their ‘benamidars’.

The Paragon City was an illegal society and not approved by the Lahore Development Authority, it added. It further alleged that the suspects, along with other accomplices, cheated the public at large and obtained illegal financial benefits from the funds of the society.