Sept 24 , 2015
News
LHC grants bail after PPP’s Qasim Zia enters plea bargain with NAB
* NAB prosecutor tells court accused has agreed to voluntary return Rs 22 million in Rs 80 million fraud case * Bench directs PPP leader to submit surety bond of Rs 100,000LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Wednesday granted bail to PPP leader Qasim Zia in a Rs 80 million scam case.
The bench directed the accused to submit a surety bond of Rs 100,000 to avail the bail. The division bench headed by Justice Mehmood Maqbool Bajwa heard the matter. During the hearing, NAB Additional Deputy Prosecutor General Arif Mehmood submitted that the authority had accepted the application of the accused for voluntary return of the money and it did not have any objection to his release. However, he said that NAB could approach the court for the cancellation of bail if the accused violated the terms of the agreement, over which the bench granted bail to the accused and asked him to deposit surety bond.
Qasim Zia has filed the bail application through Barrister Ali Zafar submitting that NAB Punjab arrested him in connection with an eight-year-old dispute between Ali Usman Stock Brokerage and its investors. “The dispute was civil in nature as it is alleged that Ali Usman Brokerage used public money for its own purpose and failed to return it,” he added. Qasim submitted that he remained a sleeping partner of the company from 2006 to 2008 and left the company after breach of trust by Ali Usman. He submitted that the NAB authorities did not have any evidence against him, whereas no reference was also filed in the court. Qasim further submitted that he had moved an application for voluntary return of Rs 22 million. He pleaded the court to grant benefit him bail, as he was no more required for investigation.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk