PESHAWAR, Oct 4: A juvenile offender, who spent 18 months behind bars on the charge of attempted theft, was acquitted by a court here on Wednesday.

The court of additional district and sessions judge Asim Imam ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against the accused, Imran Khan.

Imran, who was about 13 when he was arrested on April 18, 2005, while he was trying to enter the residence of a Pakistan Army officer in the Supply Depot area. A local cleric, Manzoor Ahmad, was complainant in the case.

The police claimed that the lead provided by the accused had helped them recover some scrap which he had earlier stolen.

Advocate Ziaur Rehman Tajik, appearing for the accused, contended that the prosecution could not produce two main witnesses, including the owner of the said residence. He said there was no evidence against the accused.

The counsel contended that the accused had already spent 18 months behind bars and the only thing which the police claimed to have recovered from his possession was scrap worth Rs20.