KARACHI, Aug 2: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Tuesday a man to death in a kidnapping for ransom case. Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 also ordered confiscation of accused’s property worth Rs100,000.

Nadeem Ashrafi alias Nadeem Katta, who was earlier an absconding accused in the case, was found guilty of having kidnapped a 19-year-old man on Sept 26, 2003, for ransom in Sir Syed Town.

The same court had earlier awarded death penalty to Khalid Abbas and Mohammed Ali in the case.

According to prosecution, the accused kidnapped Adnan and demanded Rs1 million for his release. The kidnappers used the victim’s cellular phone for negotiations with the family.

The family told the kidnappers that they had only Rs30,000 at their house. The kidnappers asked them to bring Rs30,000 at a desolate place near Nagin Chowrangi.

The family reported the matter to the police and took the money to the kidnappers. As the accused were about to receive the money, plain-clothes policemen tried to arrest them. However, only one of them, Khalid Abbas, could be arrested and accused Mohammed Ali fled.

Later, the police recovered the hostage on a lead given by the arrested accused. They also arrested accused Mohammed Ali.

GUDDU BIHARI: A judicial magistrate reserved order on the application of police for withdrawal of prosecution against former nazim of Orangi Town in a double murder case, registered with the Ferozabad police.

Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Farooq fixed Wednesday for pronouncement of the order on police application, filed under Section 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Investigation officer SI Sarfaraz Aliyan submitted that no evidence was found against Mohammed Shahid Alam, better known as Guddu Bihari, in the murder case of two women.

The IO also submitted that Guddu Bihari had been released at 10:30pm on Monday.

However, defence counsel Shahadat Awan moved an application before the court submitting that his client had not been released as claimed by the investigation officer.

He apprehended that former Orangi nazim was likely to be involved in yet another false case by the police.

It may be recalled that the Sohrab Goth police had declined to release Guddu Bihari on July 20 when a judicial magistrate raided a police kiosk near Sohrab Goth and recovered the detainee.

On July 21, the police produced the former nazim before judicial magistrate, East, Ghulam Farooq Shaikh, and sought his remand for interrogation in a double murder case.

The case pertained to killing of two women who were shot dead on December 23, 2003 at a bus stop near Tariq Road.

Later, the district and sessions judge, East, Mohammad Sadiq Bhatti, ordered on Friday the registration of case against SHO of Sohrab Goth police for keeping former Orangi Town nazim in illegal detention and for disobeying the lawful directions of judicial magistrate.