Sindh High Court Orders To Expedite Proceedings Of TC Manjhad Corruption Reference

The Sindh High Court here Thursday ordered the Accountability Court Hyderabad to expedite proceedings of a corruption reference concerning a Town Committee and conclude it preferably in four months time.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Mar, 2018 ) :The Sindh High Court here Thursday ordered the Accountability Court Hyderabad to expedite proceedings of a corruption reference concerning a Town Committee and conclude it preferably in four months time.

The bench of justice Abdul Malik Gaddi and justice Arshad Hussain Khan also approved bails of six officials and contractors who were among nearly two dozen officials and contractors booked in National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) reference.

According to details, the NAB started investigation of alleged corruption of Rs.232 million by officers and contractors of Town Committee Manjhand, Jamshoro district, in 2015. It subsequently filed a reference in the Accountability Court pleading it for conviction of all those charged in the case."In order to prevent any undue delay in the trial, the Accountability Court hearing this matter is directed to conclude the trial preferably within a period of four months and no unnecessary adjournment should be granted," the order read.

The Accountability Court was also directed to submit fortnightly reports of progress in the trial to the Additional Registrar of the SHC. The bench noted that under the National Accountability Ordinance the accountability courts had to conclude a trial within 30 days after filing of the reference.

The judges wrote in the order that the heinousness of offence or embezzlement of huge amount would not be a good ground for refusal of bail on the ground of non-conclusion of the case within statutory period.

The petitioners' counsels Riazat Ali Sahar, Mazhar Hussain Kalwar, Ishrat Ali Lohar and Nasrullah Korai argued that the Investigating Officer (IO) of NAB had failed to prove the case. They requested the court to quash the reference but the SHC dismissed their plea.The petitioners' counsels also claimed that the IO visited only 9 out 100 sites where the works were carried out, adding that the cost of works at those 9 sites was less than Rs.

one million. Accountant and town officer Aijaz Ali Khaskheli, transition officer Nazimuddin Shahani, accountant and disbursement officer Mirza Qurban Ali Beg, accountants Abdul Rasheed, Kashif Aziz and engineer Khursheed Anwar, among others, are nominated in the reference.

The SHC while approving bails of Beg, Khaskheli, Zulfiqar Ali Khaskheli, Aftab Ali Khaskheli, Abid Ali Khoso and Parvaz Daud Rahopoto against surety of Rs.500,000 for each disposed of the petitioners. The court directed NAB to seize passports of those six persons and to approach the interior ministry to put their Names on Exit Control List.