LAHORE(National Times)- A special court (central) has acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s daughter Rabia Imran and son-in-law Ali Imran Yousaf in a case of alleged corruption in the Punjab Power Development Company (PPDC).

Judge Ashfaq Ahmed announced the verdict on the acquittal applications and ordered the discharge of both accused from the case.

According to the prosecution, PPDC former CFO Ikram Naveed had invested funds in Ali and Fatima Developers Company, owned by the couple, and purchased two floors in their plaza, Ali Trade Centre.

The investigating officer stated that Naveed had invested Rs132 million in the plaza.

A counsel for the couple submitted that due to the investment made by the accused, Naveed, the plaza had been sealed. He said the couple was willing to return the amount provided the property was released.

The judge observed that the NAB could recover the amount linked to the transaction.

The judge noted that the couple was implicated in the case on the basis of investment in their company made by one of the accused persons, which was unjustified.

He said that the NAB had filed a supplementary reference against the couple without sufficient evidence.

The judge allowed the acquittal pleas of Rabia and Ali Imran and discharged them from the case.

A reference was initially filed before an accountability court and later transferred to the special court (central) following amendments to the NAB law.

The case record states that accused Naveed had entered into a plea bargain with NAB in the corruption reference.

Rabia and her husband recently ended their self-exile and returned to Pakistan to face cases against them.

An anti-corruption court acquitted them in a case of alleged irregularities in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company earlier this month.