KARACHI, Nov 19: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Saturday dismissed an acquittal plea of a man in hostage-taking and murder case. Mohammad Aslam was earlier declared an absconding co-accused in hostage-taking and murder case of Mushtaq Ahmed Bajwa in Model Colony on Jan 21, 2003.

He was arrested by the police after the acquittal of his three accomplices, Asif Rasheed, Asif Abdul Salam and Safeer Ahmed, in the said case by the trial court, giving the three accused benefit of doubt.

The appeal against acquittal of the accused is pending in Sindh High Court.

Prosecution case was that the accused took Mushtaq hostage at gunpoint and obtained cheques and went to the bank for encashment, but they failed to cash the cheques as the sign of the account holder/deceased differed.

The accused then went back to Mushtaq’s house and tortured him to death.

Aslam sought acquittal on the ground that the trial court had already acquitted three accused in the case.

The application was opposed by Special Public Prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa contending that accused could not be acquitted until evidence of the case is recorded.

ATC, headed by Judge Arshad Noor Khan, after hearing the case rejected the application.

HEARING PUT OFF: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Saturday adjourned the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom trial against the sacked revenue minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh and others for want of time.