PESHAWAR: An accountability court here on Wednesday approved plea bargain application of a former director general of Provincial Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Perra) and his wife in a corruption reference after he returned an amount of Rs 18.7 million allegedly misappropriated by them.

The judge, Tariq Yousafzai, who is presently conducting trial of Perra former director general Nasir Azam, his wife Amna Nasir and four other persons pronouncedthattotheextentof the couple their trial stood terminated whereas proceedings would continue againstother suspects.

The application of plea bargain of the two suspects was referred to the court after the chairman of National Accountability Bureau approved it under section 25-B of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. Under the law, the couple stands disqualified for holding any public office for 10 years.

NAB prosecutor Hasnain Tariq informed the court that chairman of the bureau had accepted their application and they had no objection to terminate their trial.

A reference was filed against the couple and some other suspects in 2010 and they were indicted on January 25, 2011 by the accountability court.

The NAB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has alleged that Nasir Azam in connivance with other officials changed the PC-I meant for provision of tractors in some areas devastated by the 2005 earthquake in Mansehra. It was alleged that the former director general awarded the contract to a firm belonging to his close family member and purchased substandard tractors.-Bureau Report