An accountability court of Islamabad has issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the former prime minister’s accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar, property tycoon Malik Riaz and four others in the 190 million-pound scandal reference.
The court issued the written order of Monday’s hearing in the case.
The warrants were also issued for Ziaul Mustafa Naseem, former minister Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Ali Riaz, and Farhat Shehzadi alias Farah Gogi.
Former PTI chairman Imran Khan was not produced in the accountability court established in Adiala Jail today, as per the written order. The jail superintendent must produce Imran Khan in court at the next hearing.
Also Read: Ex-SAPM Shahzad Akbar declared 'proclaimed offender' in embezzlement case
It further said that the 190 million-pound scam had been completely scrutinised by the registrar. The court approves the reference for the trial and issues non-bailable arrest warrants for other suspects, barring Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
According to a notification from the Ministry of Law, the trial of the 190 million-pound reference will be conducted in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. The next hearing of the reference will be held on December 6.
On Dec 2, a civil court in Islamabad declared ex-SAPM Akbar the "proclaimed offender" in the embezzlement case. The charges of fraud and other offences had been filed against Akbar at the Secretariat Police Station in Islamabad.
Judge Ahmed Shahzad Gondal declared Akbar "proclaimed offender" for persistent non-appearance.
Also Read: NAB files £190m scandal reference against PTI chief, others
Following the notice, legal action concerning the seizure of the accused's property will be initiated.
A day earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had officially lodged a reference against the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief in connection with the 190 million-pound scandal reference.
The reference was filed by the NAB Rawalpindi circle at the accountability court in Islamabad. Imran Khan, Shahzad Akbar, Bushra Bibi, Farah Gogi and Zulfi Bukhari were among those nominated as suspects.
Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, along with investigation officer Mian Umar Nadeem, filed the reference.
On the other side, Imran Khan submitted a post-arrest bail petition with the accountability court in the case.
