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KARACHI, Oct 20: Contempt of court notices were issued on Monday against DSP CIA Qasim Ghori and Inspector Tasarrud Mumtaz of CIA Saddar through IGP Sindh for Oct 27 by a division bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Shabbir Ahmed and Justice Mohammed Sadiq Leghari.
The bench was hearing a contempt application filed by four advocates who appeared for Robin Pirandutta, who was taken into custody by the police in connection with Rimpa Plaza massacre case in which six employees of the Pak-American Solidarity Society were gunned down by unidentified assailants. Robin emerged as the sole survivor of the incident.
He was later taken into custody on grounds of his personal safety as he was declared the only eyewitness by the police.
A constitutional petition was filed by his wife challenging the alleged “protective custody” and a division bench of SHC, comprising Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Amir Hani Muslim, on Oct 22, 2002, allowing the petition, ordered that Robin Pirandutta be released forthwith from the court-room.
However, a heavy police contingent, led by the contemner, grabbed him within the court premises, threw him into a police mobile and drove away.
During scuffle, advocates Noor Naz Agha and Ghulam Mustafa were maltreated and beaten by police. Robin, however, reached his home same night.
When the contempt application came up for hearing on Monday, the alleged contemner were not present and court was told that they have not been served.
The bench thus ordered serving of notices upon the contemner through IGP Sindh for personal appearance. The bench also ordered AG Sindh’s office to ensure service upon the contemner and also to ensure their appearance on Oct 27.
KIDNAPPING CASE: Justice Shabbir Ahmed of the Sindh High Court, who is also the administrative judge for anti-terrorism courts for Karachi division, on Monday entrusted trial of a kidnapping for ransom case to ATC-III after final challan was submitted by the police.
The case pertains to kidnapping of Adnan Ali. Accused Khalid Abbas and Mohammed were arrested while receiving ransom of Rs 30,000.
Four accused Nadeem Katta alias Bara Malik, Mushtaq alias Shahjee, Laiq alias Ali and Kaleem alias Nafees are absconding in the case registered by the Sir Syed Town police on a complaint lodged by Liaquat Ali, father of abductee.
The judge also ordered the release of Asad Ali Shah, accused in firing case on vehicle carrying Shoaib Khan. Four policemen died in the alleged incident when unidentified gun men attacked a jail van near Malir City bridge on Aug 25, 2001.
Asad Ali Shah was arrested in the case on Oct 6. Today on expiry of his seven-day remand, Inspector Syed Mumtaz Ali of Investigation Zone-I police moved an application under section 497 (II) of CrPC submitting that no one identified the accused as the alleged assailant, nor any proof was available against him.
The bench, perusing the application, ordered the release of the accused if not wanted in any other case.
APPEAL DISMISSED: A division bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Justice Muhammad Afzal Soomro, dismissed an appeal by ex-District Food Controller, Mohammad Siddique Ghakar, against conviction awarded to him by an accountability court in Karachi and upheld the verdict of the trial court.
The appellant was sentenced to a seven-year RI with fine of Rs93,00,000 by the accountability court in 2001. He was charged with corruption and embezzlement in wheat funds assigned by the government in Khairpur.
The NAB filed reference against him. Co-accused Samiullah Mahesar and 48 others absconding co-accused.
It was alleged that on May 15, 1999, wheat bags amounting Rs 2,38,35,705 were procured by the appellant, but only 13,308 wheat bags were transported to Khairpur warehouse and 26,379 wheat bags worth of Rs1,84,77,900 were not received and misappropriated by the appellant, in connivance of other co-accused, causing loss to national exchequer.
His appeal was filed in the SHC and the court after hearing arguments from both sides, dismissed the appeal and upheld the judgment of the trial court. —APP/PPI
