KARACHI, Jan 13: Prosecution in a Rs6 million kidnapping for ransom case against six accused, who included sons of three senior government officials, examined on Thursday its last of the 17 prosecution witnesses.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 put off hearing till Friday the statement of Inspector Atique ur Rahman, investigation officer, who was also cross-examined by one of the defence counsel.

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.

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 the kidnapping of Ahmed Naeem, who was released after payment of ransom in Manchester.

Khawaja Naveed, counsel for accused Khalid Aziz and Junail Ansari, completed the cross-examination of the investigation officer, while A. K. Memon, counsel for other four accused, would cross-examine the prosecution witness on the next hearing.

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.