KARACHI, Jan 24: An accountability court (AC) convicted on Thursday a former chairman of the Hyderabad Cantonment Board in absentia and sentenced him to a five-year term for “deliberately avoiding the proceedings against him”.
Judge Riaz Ahmed Phulpoto of the AC-2 also declared accused Col. Aftab a proclaimed offender and ordered attachment of his entire movable and immovable property for not appearing before the court despite several summons.
The former HCB chief, along with other accused persons, was booked in two references, pertaining to the allotment of shops in the Defence Plaza and Quaid-i-Azam Shopping Centre at Hyderabad.
Another absconding accused, contractor Imam Ali Memon, was also sentenced to a five-year term for avoiding the court proceedings against him.
The court had earlier on Jan 19 acquitted the former chief executive officer of the board, Badar Alam Bachani, in the references.
Meanwhile, the court indicted two accused persons, Riaz ur Rehman Hashmi and Jameel Durrani, in the cases. Both pleaded “not guilty” and preferred to be tried.
The court issued notices to the prosecution witnesses for Feb 2 for recording their evidence.
GHOUS ALI SHAH: Three prosecution witnesses recorded their statements before an accountability court in a corruption reference against former defence minister, Syed Ghous Ali Shah.
Mr Shah, presently in London for medical treatment, has been charged for appointing 122 people in the Civil Aviation Authority in violation of rules and regulations during 1992 and 1993.
Judge Dr. Qamaruddin Bohra of the AC-1 adjourned the hearing of the case till 30th after the statements by Easa Raza Khan, general manager, accounts, CAA, Abid Hussain, senior assistant, computer, and Pervaiz Akhtar, also a CAA official.
The judge issued notices to the general manager, employment, CAA, M. U. Kirmani, and Samen Jan, administration officer, to record their statements before the court on the next date of hearing.
Earlier, Faheem Riaz Siddiqui, defence counsel for the former minister, moved an application for condoning his client’s absence.
He submitted before the court that Mr Shah was unable to attend the court for three months due to his health condition.
CONVICTED: The special anti-narcotics court, headed by Judge Ali Nawaz Pirzada, sentenced a drug trafficker to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 15 months.