PESHAWAR, Aug 8: The Additional District and Sessions Judge Peshawar on Tuesday acquitted two people in a case relating to counterfeit US dollars. Judge Syed Zamurad Shah Qadri held that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against Sajid Ali and Wadud Khan.

They were arrested by the FIA and an FIR was registered on Mar 9, 2004. The agency claimed that they had received a tip off that some persons in M/s Faran Traders had been dealing in counterfeit US currency.

An FIA team raided office of the company in Hashtnagri area and seized a bag containing 260 notes of $100 denomination each. Sajid Ali, an employee of the agency, and his alleged accomplice Wadud, who was present in the office, were arrested.

Advocate Noor Alam Khan appearing for the accused argued that under the law the alleged counterfeit notes had to be sent to a foreign currency expert for his opinion and such expert should have been examined by the trial court. He pleaded that the currency expert was also required by the law to use modern technology for ascertaining genuineness of the currency notes.

The counsel submitted that the currency in question was sent to Islamabad where it was examined by an official of the FIA and not by a currency expert.

He further argued that even the said FIA official was not examined by the trial court. He argued that accused Sajid was an employee of the company and the FIA neither arrested its owner nor recorded his statement.

The court also heard the prosecutor and concluded that the case against the accused could not be proved beyond shadow of doubt. It acquitted both the accused and ordered t heir immediate release if not required in any other case.