PESHAWAR, June 14: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former general manager of Pakistan Steel Mills, Mian Hissamuddin, convicted in an accountability case. The bench comprising Chief Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Ijazul Hassan ordered that the petitioner should be released after furnishing two sureties of Rs10 million each. The bench granted him bail on medical grounds.

Advocate M. Sardar Khan, appeared for the petitioner and argued that he was suffering from heart ailment and he could not get proper treatment in the prison.

Mr Hissamuddin was convicted by an accountability court on May 13, 2005, and was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs 53.96 million.

The court has also ordered confiscation of Pak Ghee and Oil Mills (Malakand), owned by the convict’s family, a bungalow in Islamabad in the name of his wife, and a house in the name of his sons in village Thana, Malakand Agency.

Mr Hissamuddin was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau on Jan 12, 2001. He was charged with possessing assets to the tune of Rs190 million. Later, he was released on bail by the high court. After his conviction he was again taken into custody.