KARACHI, Sept 12: An accountability court reserved on Monday order on the acquittal plea of a contractor of the Thatta Cement Factory, who is facing charges of causing losses to the national exchequer.

Judge Qaiser Iqbal of the AC-1, who is also administrative judge of all ACs in Karachi, fixed Sept 14 for the pronouncement of the order after hearing arguments from special public prosecutor Naeem Tanoli.

The contractor, with Riazul Hasan Rizvi, former TCF MD, Maqsood Ahmed, manager sales, and a cement dealer Mohammed Ashraf, was booked in the reference.

The former TCF chief, former manager sales, and dealers - Mohammed Iqbal, Uttam Perkash, Sultan Salahuddin, Mohammed Ashraf and Mahesh Kumar – were arrested in mid-April for causing colossal losses to the national exchequer

On July 7, the administrative judge ordered the release of two dealers of the Thatta Cement Factory after approving their plea of bargain.

Accused Mohammed Iqbal Zai and Uttam Parkash were ordered to be released after they made payments to the extent of their liabilities.

The two dealers approached the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau with bargain plea agreeing to pay back the amount they had secured through fake rebate claims. The NAB chairman accepted their plea and referred it to the administrative judge of accountability courts for her approval.

Uttam Parkash deposited back Rs900,000 to the extent of his liability, while accused Mohammed Iqbal Zai made a partial payment of Rs2.35 million out of his total Rs6.92 million liability. He would make the remaining amount in two equal instalments as per the agreement with the NAB authorities.

REMANDED: The judicial magistrate, West, Irshad Hussian, remanded 24 Indian fishermen to the judicial custody till Sept 24.

The Indian fishermen were arrested a couple of days ago by the Maritime Security Agency (MSA), which also seized their two fishing launches.

The Indians were handed to the Docks police, who booked them for illegally entering into Pakistani waters.

Meanwhile, the judicial magistrate, East, further remanded head constable Sajid Farooq, arrested for the murder of judicial magistrate Shaista Hamid, to police custody for interrogation.

The JM ordered the police to produce the suspect before the court on Sept 15.