LAHORE: An accountability court of Lahore on Wednesday rejected acquittal pleas of former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon City scam.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team produced the Khawaja Brothers before the court amid strict security measures.
Judge Jawadul Hassan announced the verdict on the acquittal applications which was reserved on Monday.
After hearing the arguments, the accountability court rejected the applications and summoned witnesses to present their testimonies against the duo in the next hearing. The judicial remand of the brothers was also extended till October 30.
In the previous hearing, the counsel of Khawaja Brothers had argued that disputes regarding a private business did not fall within the domain of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.
They said there was no allegation of corruption or misusing national exchequer against the petitioners being public office holder.
They said the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) was the competent forum to look into such matters under Companies Act 2017.
They asked the court to set aside the indictment of the petitioners and acquit them of the charges.
NAB prosecutor had opposed the acquittal applications and argued that there were rulings by the Supreme Court that the trial court could not entertain such appeals after the indictment.
He said the NAB powers were protected under section 18 C&D of the NAO 1999.
After hearing the arguments the judge had reserved the verdict to be announced on Wednesday (today).
