KARACHI, Feb 12: A sessions court sentenced on Tuesday a Bangladeshi national to one year in prison for illegally staying in Pakistan.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (south) Shahid Hussain Chandio found Mohammad Ali guilty of unlawfully staying in the country.

The judge pronounced his verdict after recording evidence and final agreements from both sides.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs500 and in case of default the convict would have to undergo an additional 15-day imprisonment.

The accused was produced in court in custody and following the pronouncement of the verdict he was sent back to prison.

The court extended the benefit of Section 382-B (period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment) of the criminal procedure code to the convict.

The case was registered in Dec 2011 and the convict has already undergone the one-year sentence. Therefore, the court directed jail authorities to make necessary arrangements for his deportation.

According to the prosecution, the Military Intelligence picked up the accused along with another person, Abu Bashir, in Dec 2011 within the remit of the Mithadar police station and handed them over to police. During the investigation, Bashir was found to be a Pakistani, while Mohammad Ali was found to be an illegal immigrant and a national of Bangladesh. The police booked him under the Foreigners’ Act.

Suspected gangster remanded

A judicial magistrate remanded on Tuesday a suspect in police custody for allegedly possessing hashish.

Shujauddin, said to be associated with one of the several criminal gangs operating in Lyari, was arrested in Machhar Colony within the remit of the Docks police station on Feb 11 and the police said that three kilograms of hashish was found in his possession.

A judicial magistrate (west) remanded him in police custody till Feb 18.

A case (FIR 131/13) was registered against him under Section 6/9-C of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act.

Meanwhile, another judicial magistrate remanded a suspect in police custody in an illicit weapon case.

The special investigation unit of the police claimed to have arrested Ranju Sheikh, said to be wanted in five cases in Khairpur with a Rs500,000 bounty on his head, on Feb 11 in Shershah.

The court remanded the suspect in police custody till Feb 17 and directed the investigation officer to produce him on the next date of hearing.

A case (FIR 35/13) was registered against him under Section 13-D of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965.