HYDERABAD, Jan 1: The Anti-Terrorism Court, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas, here on Wednesday sentenced a man to two times life imprisonment in a kidnapping-cum-murder case of a four-year-old boy.

The ATC judge, Syed Ali Ashraf Shah, also ordered that property of the convict, Shahbaz, should be confiscated and he should pay a fine of Rs100,000. In case of default of the money, the accused would have to undergo another 10 years imprisonment.

The case was lodged at the market police station on July 26, 1999, after Babar, Liaquat and Shahbaz kidnapped the boy, Jan Mohammad.

The kidnappers had demanded R50,000 as ransom for the release of the boy.

The boy later died of suffocation as he was wrapped in a blanket.

The ATC had earlier awarded capital punishment to Shahbaz and sentenced his co-accused to life imprisonment.

The convicts had filed an appeal in the Sindh High Court which, ordered retrial.

During the retrial, Liaquat and Babar were found underage and their case was transferred to the court of the district and sessions judge.

PRESSURE HORNS: The police will launch a drive against rickshaw and mini-taxi drivers for checking their fitness certificates and route permits, and removal of pressure horns.

BAIL: The SHC on Wednesday granted protective bail till Jan 12 to a line superintendent of Hesco in a sum of Rs100,000 in a case of misappropriation of Rs7.2 million.

Aslam Bhatti appeared before the court on behalf of the line superintendent, Rasheed Khokhar, and argued the case was lodged after a delay of 12 years and was based on mala fide intention as Hesco owed Rs40,000 to his client.