March 01, 2008	Saturday	Safar 22, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 29: The judge of accountability court-I, Syed Aley Maqbool Rizvi, adjourned on Friday the hearing of a reference (1/2003) pertaining to a yellow cabs’ scam till March 5 and asked the special public prosecutor to submit a confirmation report regarding the implementation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in the case.

According to the reference, Peer Deedar Hussain Serhandi, an assistant vice-president in the HBL, and others misused their authority and misappropriated a huge amount through an unauthorised release of impounded yellow cabs. The accused did not deposit the amount of Rs62.354 million in the bank’s book account and misappropriated the same. All the accused in the case were released on bail.

On Friday, the court recorded the disposition of Inspector Mirza Masood Alam of the Federal Investigation Agency. He stated that he had registered an FIR against the accused on a complaint of the bank.

Warrants issued

Judicial Magistrate-X, South, Asif Ahmed has issued bailable warrants for arrest of the Pakistan People’s Party leaders Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Nisar Khuhro and others for not appearing in court in a case registered against them despite repeated reminders.

The case (FIR No 358/2004) was registered against the accused at the Preedy police station under Sections 147, 148, 149, 353, 427/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code for damaging many vehicles during a protest demonstration on June 18, 2004.

According to the prosecution, PPP leaders Rashid Rabbani, Sassi Palejo, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Muzaffar Ali Shujra, Najmi Alam, Raheel Iqbal, Dr Mehreen Bhutto, Sharfunnisa Leghari and Marvi Mazhar had taken out a protest procession against the killing of PPP leader Munawwar Suhrawardi and allegedly damaged a number of vehicles.

Though police had arrested some activists of the party in this regard, they had been granted bail and subsequently acquitted in the case. The court issued several notices to the PPP leaders. However, they failed to comply with the court’s orders.

Gulgee’s murder

The same court, meanwhile, extended physical remand of the two accused allegedly involved in the murder of renowned artist Ismail Gulgee, his wife Zareen Gulgee and their maid Asiya till March 3.

Earlier, the court had extended the remand of the accused, Akram Ali and Anwar, till Feb 29.

According to the prosecution, police found Gulgee, his wife Zareen Gulgee and their maid Asiya dead in their house situated in the Boat Basin police limits on December 19, 2007. However, the driver and a servant had gone missing along with a car belonging to the deceased.