RAHIM YAR KHAN - Muhammad Khan Bhatti, the then principal secretary of former Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi, was presented in the court of Senior Civil Judge of Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Monday where court handed him over to police on three-day physical remand.
Bhatti had allegedly invested Rs 250 million earned by unfair means in Rahim Yar Khan Sugar Mills and also got its partnership, because being a government employee he could not run a business. Bhatti used his official status and influence to get this partnership in the sugar mills. The ACE requested the judge for physical and transit remand. Bhatti’s counsel Ch Manzoor Ahmed Warriach opposed the remand and claimed that Bhatti had been in police custody for a month. He said Bhatti was tortured while in custody so his medical examination should be conducted. Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Tasneem Ijaz ordered three-day physical and medical remand of Bhatti and handed him over to police.
Warriach said that Bhatti was picked up immediately after the dissolution of Punjab Assembly a month back. He filed a writ for protective bail in Sindh High Court but he was picked up from Matari district and for 28 days Bhatti was at unknown location. His heirs filed a writ petition in Lahore High Court and later Supreme Court but law enforcement agencies told the court that Bhatti was not in their custody. When again a writ for protective bail was filed in LHC on March 3, the court strictly ordered authorities to produce Bhatti on March 6 but after this order news was aired with reference to Director General Anti Corruption Sohail Zafar Chattha regarding arrest of Bhatti from Balochistan border.
Warriach further said that an FIR was registered with Sariab Police Station Quetta under Section 324 and a separate FIR was also registered regarding Balochistan Arms Licence Ordinance. Later after getting transit remand, Bhatti was brought to Rahim Yar Khan where his medical treatment was done secretly. Warriach said his medical examination will be completed on Monday and the next hearing will be on March 9. The face of Bhatti was covered with cloth when he was brought to ACE circle office RYK. Many of his supporters gathered there who chanted slogans in his favour. According to some ACE sources, DG ACE Sohail Zafar Chattha especially arrived at RYK to monitor this case and some more important arrests related to case were expected.