KARACHI, Dec 13: Judge Haq Nawaz Bloch of the ATC-5 put off hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case against six accused, including sons of three senior government officials, after recording statement of the victim's father.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 fixed Tuesday for the next hearing after the deposition of Mohammed Naeem, father of victim Ahmed Naeem. The gang of kidnappers, comprising sons of a senior superintendent of police, a senior preventive officer of Customs and a deputy controller of the Karachi Building Control Authority, was busted in mid September.

The accused - Fida Hussain Khoso, son of SSP Nadir Khoso, Junaid Ansari, son of KBCA official Abdul Rehman Ansari, Khalid Aziz, Qurban Ali Khoso, Abdur Rasheed, Atique Bajwah and Shahzad Ahmed - were charged with kidnapping of Ahmed Naeem, who was released after payment of ransom in the Manchester.

Five gang members - Mujeebur Rehman Bhutto, Khalid Aziz, Himmat Ali Khoso, Niaz Khoso and Yasir Khoso have been declared absconders. Suspects Mujeeb Khan Bhutto and Ghulam Murtaza Khan Bhutto, both sons of SPO Rano Khan Bhutto, and their alleged accomplice Saeed Naqi were arrested in Manchester immediately after the delivery of the ransom and the subsequent release of the victim, Ahmed Naeem, son of a Mercedes vehicle dealer, in Karachi.

A special team of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and Anti-violence Crime Cell (AVCC) started the investigation after the victim's father, Mohammed Ahmed of Shahnawaz Motors, reported the matter to the authorities.

The investigators intercepted ransom calls originating from Manchester. The kidnappers called the victim's family and initially demanded Rs50 million for his release.

However, after a series of negotiations on phone from Manchester, the kidnapper agreed to the ransom of 56,000 pounds sterling (Rs 6.1 million). The gang is stated to be involved in the kidnapping of a builder, Mohammad Ali, who was released after payment of ransom in Manchester.

BLAST CASE: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Karachi, headed by Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti, on Monday adjourned the hearing of trial against activists of the banned Harkatul Mujahidden Al Alami, facing charges of explosion, adds PPI.