KARACHI: An anti-corruption court on Wednesday remanded in prison a 70-year-old former medical superintendent of Liaquatabad government hospital in a graft case lodged against him over 32 years after the alleged offence took place.

The anti-corruption establishment booked Dr Muqueet, the former MS, a couple of days ago for his alleged involvement in misappropriation of funds in 1982.

The ACE arrested the elderly suspect when he appeared in court for pre-arrest bail on Wednesday. The investigating officer sought his custody for questioning.

However, the defense lawyer opposed his physical remand submitting the suspect had been framed in the case after over 32 years, adding that he was 70-year-old and was suffering from multiple diseases.

The judge of special anti-corruption court, Gulshan Ara Chandio, however, sent the suspect to prison on a three-day judicial remand and asked the IO to submit investigation report. The court also directed the jail authorities to provide necessary medical care to the suspect.

The judge expressed displeasure over the unusually long delay in registration of FIR to which the IO said the case had been lodged on the directives of anti-corruption committee-I.

The court asked the ACE to produce police file on the suspect on Thursday and also put the prosecutor on notice on the suspect’s bail application.

The ACE booked the ex-MS and a former clerk of the hospital on Aug 25, for allegedly causing financial losses of Rs800,000 to national exchequer through misappropriation of funds in 1982.

A case was registered at the ACE police station under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471(using as genuine a forged document) and 34 (common intention) of Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Judge orders complaint against IO for defiance

A judicial magistrate ordered on Wednesday a direct complaint against a police officer for defying court orders in an illicit weapon case.

Samiullah was booked by the Pirabad police for allegedly keeping an unlicensed weapon last year.

Mohammad Mithal was appointed as investigating officer of the case.

However, despite many notices and warrants repeatedly issued by the court over the investigating officer’s extended and unexplained absence and non-submission of a charge-sheet, the investigating officer did not turn up in court.

A judicial magistrate (west) asked the court staff to prepare a direct complaint against the IO for not complying with court orders. The suspect was booked under Section 23 (1) (a) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013.

Conviction

A sessions court sentenced on Wednesday a convict to one year in prison in an illicit weapon case.

Jabbar Ali was found guilty of carrying an unlicensed pistol in the Old Golimar area in November last year.

An additional district and sessions judge (west) also imposed a fine of Rs2,000 and in case of default the convict would undergo an additional one month imprisonmen.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014