Ex-LDA DG Ahad Cheema released on bail after 3 years

LAHORE: Former director general of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Khan Cheema was released from jail on Tuesday after an incarceration of over three years in three references made against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). After the process of verifying bail bonds, the trial court issued a robkar (release order) of Cheema on Tuesday. The robkar was submitted to the officials at the Camp Jail and Cheema was released from Services Hospital where he had been admitted a few months back for health reasons.

Last week, the Lahore High Court allowed his second petition for post-arrest bail in a reference of illegal assets on the ground of hardships. His first bail petition was dismissed by the court on merits on April 13, 2020.

The bureau arrested him on February 21, 2018 when he appeared before its investigation team in an inquiry about Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam. Later, it also initiated inquiries of the LDA-City scam and assets beyond means against him.

He has already been granted bail in reference of Ashiana-i-Iqbal while stands acquitted in the reference of LDA-City.