July 06, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 2, 1429

KARACHI, July 5: A former excise and taxation officer, who remained in jail for nine years without charge, was acquitted by a control of narcotic substances court on Saturday since the prosecution failed to prove his involvement in any of the six cases pending against him.

The judge of the special control of narcotic substances court-II, Rubina Khan, pronounced the verdict after recording the final arguments from both sides. The court in its verdict said the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence against the accused to prove his involvement in the said cases, therefore the court acquitted him due to lack of evidence.

The prosecution stated that a former excise and taxation officer, Khalid Faridi, was arrested by the anti-narcotics force in 1999 on the charges of possessing and selling drugs. Six cases (FIR Nos 16, 17, 20, 22, 77, and 56/1999) were registered against him under Section 6/9-C of the Control of Narcotics Substance Act.

The defence counsel, Ghulam Sabir Niazi, argued that his client was implicated in the case as the ANF did not recover anything from his possession.

Pleading for the acquittal of his client, the counsel said his client was in jail for the last nine years while the prosecution, which had no solid evidence against him, deliberately delayed the proceedings to keep him behind bars.