Raja Pervez Ashraf indicted in RPP case
18 January, 2014
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has indicted former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and other accused in the rental power case.
However, Raja Pervez Ashraf has pleaded not guilty. Judge Muhammad Bashir of the court took up the rental power case with reference to alleged involvement of the former prime minister in financial and management irregularities in Naudero-2 project. The court charge-sheeted Raja Pervez Ashraf and other accused persons in this case. The names of Iqbal Z Ahmad and NM Beg have been dropped from the case.
Raja has been indicted in terms of three basic points, wherein he was found involved in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) laws. The second charge in the charge sheet is that facts were not provided when approval of the project was obtained from the ECC. The third allegation says that corruption of Rs 7.5 million was committed at the time of shifting of machinery. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till February 4.
Last month, NAB had filed a supplementary reference against Raja in connection with his involvement in the multi-billion-rupee rental power projects scam. Talking to media men outside the court, Farooq H Naik, counsel for Raja Pervez Ashraf, said his client has not reaped any financial gains from the rental power plants. "All such allegations are baseless and unfounded. It has been proved that Pervez Ashraf has caused no loss to national exchequer. He will soon be acquitted from these three allegations," Naik said.
Raja has claimed that allegations have been levelled against him without evidence and he is being subjected to a media trial. "My media trial is lamentable. I discharged my duties honestly, and Rs 22 billion corruption charges against me are incorrect. The case is sub judice and I hope for justice from court," he stated.
End.
|
