PESHAWAR, July 29: The Peshawar district and sessions judge Hayat Ali Shah on Tuesday acquitted three women in a drug pushing case.

The judge pronounced that the prosecution was not able to bring concrete evidence against the accused.

The women - Hussan Zeba, Rukhsana and Naseem - were arrested by the officials of the Crimes Investigation Agency (CIA) from a house on Oct 27, 1997 at Chamkani area.

The CIA claimed that it recovered 4kg of heroin from the house.

Noor Alam Khan appeared for the accused and argued that Ms Hussan Zeba was the resident of the house whereas the other two ladies were guests. He stated that the prosecution had not properly produced the case before the court, making the recovery of heroin doubtful.

Mr Khan contended that the CIA had no authority to raid a residence. 

He added that the CIA was only an investigative agency and under the law it had to associate the police station concerned with it to catch the culprits.

He stated that although the CIA was tipped off about the presence of drugs in the house, neither the police officials concerned nor women constables were brought along for raiding the house.