KARACHI, Nov 26: The Anti-Corruption Court on Monday requested the Sindh High Court to ensure that former provincial minister Imtiaz Sheikh and his brother Maqbool Sheikh appear in court on the next hearing of a land scam case.

Special Judge Syed Gul Munir Shah wrote in the reference sent to the high court that the two brothers had appeared in court only two times over the past three years.

He fixed Dec 15 as the next date for hearing.

Earlier, the high court had granted bail to Imtaiz Sheikh and Maqbool Sheikh. Former minister Imtaiz Sheikh and his brother Maqbool Sheikh are facing charges relating to unauthorised and illegal transfer and allotment of around 1,700 acres in Korangi areas to private parties at throwaway prices, thereby causing a heavy loss to the national exchequer.

According to the prosecution, Imtaiz Sheikh abused his position as a public servant and played a key role in allotting government lands to private parties illegally while he was holding the portfolio of revenue minister.

Imtaiz Sheikh and Maqbool Sheikh along with other 40 accused were charged under Section 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act), Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing of property), Section 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and Section 471/34 (using as genuine a forged document of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of the Provision of Corruption Act 1947. Mahboob Sheikh, cousin of Imtaiz Sheikh, Ali Akbar, EDO revenue, Zafar Anwar Panwar, Abdullah Pahor, Noor Din, Maqbool Mahar, Abdul Karim Jokhio and Ajiz Ahmed were granted bail while the other accused had been declared absconders.—A Reporter