KARACHI: An accountability courtonThursdayfurtherallowed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to keep the custody of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani for questioning in connection with three inquiries.

While granting 10-day extension in the physical remand, administrative judge of the accountability courts Dr Sher Bano Karim also directed the NAB investigating officer to produce Mr Durrani on the date of hearing along with a progress report.

NABhadarrestedthespeaker of the provincial assembly last month from a hotel in Islamabad to investigate him for allegedly accumulating movable and immovable assets beyond his known sources of income, making 352 illegal appointments, embezzlement of public funds in construction of the MPA hostel and the new Sindh Assembly building as well as appointment of project directors for these projects.

After the end of his last physical remand, the IO produced him again and sought 15-day extension in his custody by contending that they could not get enough time to interrogate the suspect due to his engagements in the assembly.

However, Mr Durrani maintained that the assembly was not in session during the last 10 daysand he was cooperating with the investigators. He once again complained that he was being kept in a small cell, not allowed to meet anyone and his family members were also being allegedly harassed.

A NAB prosecutor argued that an air conditioner had also been installed in his room and other facilities were made available to him.

Mr Durrani and his lawyer opposed NAB`s plea for further extension in his physical remand and the counsel argued that his client`s arrest was illegal. After hearing both sides, the court granted extension till March 31.

While speaking to media on the premises of the accountability courts, Mr Durrani admitted the recovery of gold from his bank locker and contended that the gold was around 100 years old and inherited from his elders, adding that he also declared the same.

It may be recalled that on the last hearing a property of Mr Durrani had also been found in Abbottabad, valued at Rs27 million, but he had disclosed its value at around Rs4m.

The prosecutor added that a bungalow of the suspect worth Rs40m was found in DHA while 10 Rolex watches were also found in his banl( locker in addition to the gold, foreign currency and other valuables.

Dozens of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) activists gathered and chanted slogans outside and inside the courtroom.