PESHAWAR, Nov 23: An accountability court here on Tuesday convicted 27 revenue officials in an accountability reference and sentenced them to varying prison terms, ranging from three months to three years with fine.

The convicts include three naib tehsildar, three gardawar and 21 patwaris. One naib tehsildar, Mosam Khan, was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment with fine of one million rupees. Gardawar Sareer Khan was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs 800,000.

Five person including a naib tehsildar, Momin Khan and four patwari Mohammad Ibrar, Dilawar Khan, Purdil Khan and Salahuddin Khan, were sentenced to one year rigorous imprisonment each, with different amounts of fine. Ten of the convicted were sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment each, whereas remaining ten were sentenced to three months' rigorous imprisonment each.

The National Accountability Bureau had filed a reference of Rs 46.11 million against the accused as they jointly and several of them in collusion with each other caused a loss to the public exchequer and in turn got illegal pecuniary benefits for themselves and their family members.

The Nab claimed that the accused had registered mutations of properties during ban imposed by the provincial government. The Nab has claimed that the provincial government had placed a ban on registration of mutations of properties on July 1, 1994, but the accused had ignored that ban.