KARACHI, May 6: Judge Mrs Qaiser Iqbal of the Accountability Court No 1 dismissed on Tuesday the acquittal application of a former chief of Habib Bank who has been charged with corruption and misappropriation of funds.

Mr Dalia and three other senior officers of the bank, Sabir Hussain, Pir Didar Hussain Sarhandi and Anwar Haider Qureshi, were booked for embezzling more than Rs236 million in 1996 and the final charge sheet against them was submitted in the special court for banking offences.

It was alleged that a vigilance cell of the bank impounded more than 50 vehicles, given under a scheme of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, after the owners defaulted on the payment of instalments.

Later, the three accused, who are on bail, allegedly released the impounded vehicles after receiving due payments from the owners. They allegedly did not deposit the money in the bank.

The public prosecutor opposed the acquittal application of the former chief of HBL. He contended that the accused had an active role in the embezzlement of the funds. He argued that the acquittal of the accused would be premature as the prosecution had yet to examine its witnesses against him.

Judge Qaiser Iqbal put off the hearing of the case to May 13 when she would formally arraign the accused.

Earlier, the former HBL chief had moved his acquittal application before the Sindh High Court. The SHC, however, ordered the applicant to move the application before the trial court. The SHC also ordered the trial court to hear the acquittal application and pass orders on it within one month.