KARACHI, June 9: A division bench of the Sindh High Court admitted on Wednesday an appeal moved by a director of the Tawakkal Group of Companies against his conviction and punishment by an accountability court in a loan default case.

An accountability court convicted Abdul Qadir Tawakkal of wilful default and sentenced him to suffer imprisonment for 10 years and pay Rs 96.53 million as fine. He was accused of misappropriating a loan facility granted to him by the Allied Bank Limited in 1994.

According to the prosecution, he availed of the loan facility amounting to about Rs 97 million, but defaulted on its repayment. Admitting the appeal, the bench directed that a notice be issued to the prosecution for a date in office.

KIDNAPPING CASE: The bench also admitted an appeal moved by two kidnapping-for-ransom convicts sentenced to death. Appellants Zafar Iqbal and Shaukat Ali were sentenced to death by an anti- terrorist court in May. Their assets were also ordered to be confiscated.

The appellants and two others accused were alleged to have kidnapped workshop owner Mohammad Aslam Lodhi in January. They invited the victim to dinner but allegedly kidnapped him to recover a ransom of Rs 500,000. They were alleged to have agreed to receive Rs 150,000. Admitting their appeals, the bench issued a notice to the prosecution.

REVISION DISMISSED: Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, meanwhile, dismissed a petition for criminal revision moved by a former army major for non-prosecution.

The ex-major had moved an application against the former and current CPLC chairmen, who had taken action on a false complaint against him. He requested an additional sessions judge to assume powers under Section 22-A of the criminal procedure code and order investigations as 'justice of peace'.

The application was rejected by the sessions court and the applicant moved for revision of the order by the high court. No lawyer was present for the petitioner when the case was called.