GUJRANWALA, Dec 8: Lahore High Court Additional Registrar Mian Manzoor Ahmad on Thursday started a probe into embezzlement charges against former district and sessions judge Riazul Hassan Alvi. The LHC had ordered police concerned to register a case against the judge under the Anti-Corruption Act. According to the FIR, registered by Civil Lines police on Oct 5, Mr Alvi, during his tenure as Gujranwala district and sessions judge, had auctioned 76 vehicles fortified by police under section 550 PPC, but allegedly did not deposit the recovered amount in the treasury.

The inquiry officer recorded the statements of some court officials, including record keeper Syed Maqbool Hussain and session court nazir Sajid Naseem Cheema. The officials confirmed that the former judge was posted in Gujranwala from Jan 20, 2003, to June 23, 2004. They further stated 76 vehicles were missing from the office, which were allegedly taken away by the former judge, who also gave some of these to his relatives.

death sentence: The anti-terrorism court No 2 on Thursday handed down death sentence on five counts each, along with a collective fine of Rs3.2 million, to four accused for killing five women.

The court also awarded 125-year imprisonment collectively to the accused under other offences.

The court declared three accused, Kashif Sohail, Zahid and Shahzad, proclaimed offenders, and ordered Sialkot DPO to produce them before it. According to the prosecution, Shafqat Ibrar alias Bari Butt, Waqar Ahmad alias Mitho Butt, Dildar Ahmad and Rashid Ahmad, had killed a woman, Rahim Bibi, along with her daughters, over an old enmity at Sitrah village on June 2, 2000.

GANG BUSTED: Model Town police claimed to have busted a three-member gang of dacoits following a brief encounter and recovered gold jewellery, a motorcycle and four cell phones from them on Thursday.