12 November 2004	Friday	28 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 11: Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed of the Sindh High Court granted interim bail before arrest to the owner of a security agency whose guards escaped after robbing a foreign currency dealer of Rs 40 million.

The Maverick Security Agency proprietor, retired colonel Asghar Feroze, is being investigated for the robbery. Two guards employed by him and detailed for duty at a currency exchange firm beat up its owner, Zafar Paracha, looted foreign currency worth Rs 40 million and fled the scene on Oct 20. Guards Ali Khan and Shaukat Ali could not be traced and arrested so far despite hectic efforts made by police.

Col Feroze appeared in the high court along with his counsel, Khwaja Naveed Ahmed, and submitted that he had nothing to do with the robbery but might be taken into custody by police. The judge admitted him to interim bail till Nov 22 in the sum of Rs 5 million.

The provincial home department has, meanwhile, suspended the security agency's licence and ordered the town police officers of Saddar and Clifton to seal the agency's office and seize the arms sanctioned for use by it.

SHIPS RELEASED: Justice Ataur Rahman, meanwhile, allowed two Japanese-registered ships to sail off the Karachi port after they furnished security in a suit instituted by a Faisalabad exporter.

The plaintiff complained that his consignment was not delivered to the consignee and was subsequently auctioned by the owners of the container ships, Hyundai Sprinter and Hyundai Highways.

According to the plaintiff's counsel, Nisar A. Mujahid, the exporter suffered a big loss and owed the ships's owners, M/s NYK, a huge amount.

BAIL DISMISSED: A division bench of High Court of Sindh, comprising Justice Wahid Bux Brohi and Justice Rahmat Hussain Jaffery, on Thursday dismissed bail plea of three accused booked in a narcotics smuggling case.

Naseer Ahmed, Illahi Bux and Majid sought bail on ground of statutory delay. They were arrested in October 2000 by the Kalakot police after recovery of 35 kilograms of charas, 17 kilograms of opium and liquor bottles from a truck they were riding in.

When the bail plea came up, counsel for the applicant pressed for bail, stating that trial was being delayed inordinately and the accused are in jail for more than four years.

The counsel for the ANF informed the Bench that the delay occurred as special court for control of narcotics substance (CNS-I) was lying vacant.

The bench was informed that a new judge has been appointed to the court, paving way for trials of cases pending before the CNS-I.

The bench, after hearing the sides, dismissed the bail applications, directing the trial court to proceed with the trial expeditiously.