A court in Lahore on Friday rejected a request to extend the physical remand of former Punjab assembly deputy speaker Dost Muhammed Mazari and sent him to jail on judicial remand.
Mazari is being investigated by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for the alleged illegal occupation of 2,500 Kanal of land in his native Rajanpur district.
On Friday, Mazari was produced before an anti-corruption court upon the expiry of his two-day remand.
At the outset of the hearing, ACE officials demanded the court extend his physical remand by 10 days.
ACE prosecutor argued before the court that they need further custody of the suspect to complete investigations.
The court, however, rejected the ACE’s request to send the former deputy speaker on further remand and directed to send him to jail on judicial remand.
Meanwhile, the former speaker approached the Anti-Corruption Court, through his counsel Farhad Ali, seeking bail.
Mazari claims ACE had registered the case motivated by political causes rather than merit of any crime committed. He further argued that all investigations have been completed and no evidence has been found against him, therefore, the court should approve bail for Mazari, the counsel maintained in the petition.
