Ahad Cheema’s bail plea dismissed

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench Monday dismissed post-arrest bail petitions, filed by former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and assets beyond means cases. The division bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider heard the petitions.

Representing Cheema, a counsel argued that the petitioner had been behind the bars for more than two years. He submitted that other co-accused had already been granted bail in Ashiana Housing case, including former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and Fawad Hassan Fawad. He submitted that the trial court had recorded statements of 13 witnesses so far. The counsel argued that no suspect could be kept behind the bars for an indefinite period of time until proven guilty.

He pleaded the court for granting Cheema bail in both cases. However, NAB Prosecutor Faisal Bukhari opposed the bail petitions, saying that Ahad Cheema misused his authority in Ashiana case. He contended that the accused amassed assets of Rs470 million and the same did not correspond to his means. He submitted that the accused purchased an 8-kanal plot and the amount was paid from Paragon Housing Society's account. Subsequently, the bench dismissed the bail petitions.

Meanwhile, the bench also dismissed a bail petition of co-accused Shahid Shaique in Ashiana-e-Iqbal housing scheme case. A total of 13 accused had been indicted in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal case.