KARACHI, May 20: Dr Qamaruddin Bohra, judge of the accountability court No 1, issued on Monday contempt of court notice to the deputy inspector-general of prisons and ordered him to appear in the court on Wednesday.

The judge issued notice to DIG of prison Nawaz Husain for his comments/ criticism on a judgment in a wilful bank default case against a business tycoon, Zakria Ghani, and his father-in-law, Yousuf Dada.

The judge had earlier issued a show-cause notice to the superintendent of Central Prison, Karachi, Rashid Saeed, for not releasing a convict despite the completion of his prison term.

The jailer, who was ordered to appear in the court on Monday, and show cause why he should not be prosecuted for making mis-statement before the court, submitted his reply.

The action against the jailer and the DIG of prisons was initiated following an application filed by Taufeeq Dada, nephew of Yousuf Dada.

The applicant stated that his uncle, who had completed his sentence, was not being released by the jail authorities.

The jailer was called and he stated before the court that, according to the jail record, convict Yousuf Dada had completed his sentence period. He said as per the government’s instructions the “higher authority” had been requested for approval of release of Yousuf. He said approval had not yet been received.

He gave an undertaking to the court that Yousuf would be released on Saturday.

He also placed on the record of the court a letter written by the DIG prisons to the provincial home secretary.

The jail official in his letter wrote: “It is added for kind information that the sentence awarded in lieu of fine appears to be highly disproportionate to the fine amount. It will be in fairness if the attention of prosecution is kindly drawn to this aspect in the interest of justice.”

While issuing notice to the DIG prisons, the judge ordered: “Whereas your above comments/criticism comes within the ambit of contempt of court and falls under section 16-B of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance, you are, therefore, hereby, called upon to appear in this court on May 22, and show cause why you should not be prosecuted under section 16-B of the NAB Ordinance.”

Yousuf Dada, an elderly man, had been convicted along with his son-in-law, Zakria Ghani, for wilful default on a bank loan.

The judge had sentenced him to two years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs6,73,58,162 to the extent of his liability. In case of default on payment of fine the convict was to undergo an additional two years’ simple imprisonment.