The counsel further said that Chairman of the Accountability Cell Saif-ur-Rehman in 1997-99 had initiated fake proceedings against Badar. Badar was pressurised to become a witness against Benazir Bhutto and on his refusal the cases were instituted against him, he added.
Record of the appeals against the references, which are pending before Lahore High Court (LHC), was also produced before the court. However, prosecution counsel sought time to examine the record. The court gave two weeks and adjourned proceedings till next date of hearing. In the first reference Badar has been accused of misusing his authority by illegally allowing various people to set up 61 petrol stations of Pakistan State Oil (PSO). NAB had filed this reference in 2002.
In the second reference filed in 2003, he has been accused of amassing assets beyond his known sources of income during his stint as a federal minister. Meanwhile, another accountability court adjourned hearing of a reference against ex- provincial Minister, Malik Mushtaq Awan. His counsel submitted an application for acquittal in the case, which was fixed for arguments on next date of hearing, February 13.