LAHORE - An accountability court on Friday granted physical remand of former vice-chancellor of Punjab University Dr Kamran Mujahid to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A day earlier, the NAB arrested him after he appeared before its Lahore office to record his statement. He was held on charges of irregularities during his tenure. The bureau produced him before the court along with five other accused namely Ameen Athar, Dr Aurangzaib, Dr Liaquat, Dr Kamran Zahid and Dr Raas Masood. The ex-vice chancellor is accused of carrying out massive irregularities during his tenure at the varsity. He was also charged with granting approval for several hirings in violation of the laws. He is accused of being involved in illegal appointment of his wife Shazia Qureshi as the principal of Punjab University Law College. Moreover, he allegedly awarded scholarships to students on the basis of nepotism, as well as gave contracts to his preferred contractors in violation of the laws are the other allegations against the educationist.

The NAB officials told the court that an inquiry was authorised against Dr Mujahid Karnran and others regarding their involvement in the commission of offences of corruption and corrupt practices and later the inquiry was converted into investigation.

The arrest warrants of the accused were issued by the competent authority

He was appointed as vice-chancellor of University of the Punjab on 3rd of January. 2008 and remained VC till 19th of December, 2016. During his tenure, the NAB alleged, he appointed numerous persons on contract on teaching and non-leaching posts without following the described procedure. He made contractual appointments of teaching staff under a committee. The committee was founded by Syndicate that was chaired by the accused, it was told.  “The appointments in the university were to be made by the Syndicate on the recommendations of the Selection Board for teaching and other posts. The Selection Board shall consider the applications received in response to advertisement and recommend to the Syndicate the names of suitable candidates for appointment to teaching or other posts, as the case may be,” the NAB prosecutor told the court.

“However,” he added, “the ex-VC during his tenure made different appointments without the recommendations of Selections Board. He ruined the recommendations of the selection board by misusing his authority. No advertisements were published for the appointments in the university which is against the fundamental rights of the general public and also against the judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan and Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment & Conditions of Service) Rules, 1974.”

The NAB prosecutor said that the bureau conducted inquiry which revealed that sufficient evidence was available to prove involvement of accused in the commission of offences.

During the hearing, the former VC said that he served with sheer honesty throughout his tenure.

Regarding charges of illegal appointments, he said that all hiring’s approved by him were presented before the syndicate. He refused to admit that none of the employee, he appointed, was ghost or fake. He claimed the official record of all employees existed.

After hearing both the parties, the court granted 10-day physical remand of the accused to the NAB till October 22.