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KARACHI, Nov 22: An Accountability court sentenced on Thursday an official of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to a three-year term for amassing wealth through illegal means.
Judge Rahmat Hussain Jafferi of the AC-3 also imposed a fine of Rs7.5 million on Syed Saadat Ali, a grade-16 officer, who would have to undergo an additional 18-month term in case of default on the payment.
The judge also ordered the confiscation of his house: A-51, Block-D, North Nazimabad.
The former KWSB official was also disqualified for 10 year from holding any public office and from seeking any financial facility from any state-controlled bank or institution.
Saadat Ali was charged with raising assets and properties which were found quite disproportionate to his legitimate and known sources of income.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of his two bank accounts.
During the investigation by the Regional Accountability Bureau, it was revealed that Saadat’s monthly expenses were more that Rs55,000.
CHARGES FRAMED: The AC-2, headed by Judge Riaz Phulpoto, formally arraigned two more accused in a reference against former excise minister, Ismail Rahu, and others.
The reference pertained to the evasion of over Rs66-million excise duty on liquor.
The judge framed charges on Kaka Krishanchand of the Kohistan Wine Shop and his manager, Raj Kumar. Both the accused, who surrendered themselves before the court on the last hearing, denied the charges and pleaded “not guilty”.
Earlier, another accused, Asher John of the Murree Brewery, courted arrest and was also indicted in the case.
The former provincial minister was arrested on June 16 by the Regional Accountability Bureau (RAB). A former excise and taxation officer (ETO), Agha Abbas Wazir, was arrested on February 12 by the RAB authorities in this case.
A former director-general of the excise department, Iqbal Solongi, ex-director Majeed Pathan, former ETO Niaz Baloch, Mehromal Jagwani of United Wine Merchant and his accountant, Bhagwan Das, have been declared absconding accused in this case.
Aftab Qureshi, a former secretary of the excise department, was also an accused in this case. The court had once issued the non- bailable warrants for the arrest, but the Sindh High Court stayed the process against him.
It was alleged that on the directions of the former provincial minister for excise and taxation, the former DG and officials of the E&TD issued fake permits in the name of the United Wine Merchants.
