Staff Report
LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR) General Manager (GM) Operations Saeed Akhtar has been handed to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on 14-day remand, SAMAA reports Friday.

The NAB arrested him yesterday just after three days of his reappointment by the prime minister on the key post.

It should be mentioned here that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani reappointed him as GM Operations on a one-year extension. The Railways Ministry had issued a notification for his reappointment on Monday. Akhtar had retired from service on March 2 after reaching the age of superannuation.

Akhtar was presented before Judge Ali Hasan Rizvi of the city’s local court by NAB in allegations levelled against him during investigations of Railways’ scrap scandal.

The judge allowed Akhtar’s family to meet him for in eight-hour span.

The defence counsel pleaded the court that his client Akhtar maintained a flawless career throughout his stint with the Railways, hence, he should be allowed to continue with his duties as the PR executive. But, the court dismissed this plea.

The NAB officials pleaded the court for Akhtar’s 14-day remand, which was accepted today.

The NAB’s special cell headed by Director-General Operations Col (retd) Shahzad Bhatti to investigate the corruption cases in the Railways, arrested Akhtar for misuse of authority and his alleged involvement in embezzlement worth Rs600 million. He was summoned to the NAB office in Islamabad and taken into custody.

It is pertinent to note here that the Supreme Court had referred PR’s corruption cases to the NAB for further probe earlier this month. SAMAA