Fake degree case: Bench dismisses Niwani brothers’ review petition

LAHORE:

A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by the Niwani brothers challenging the fake degree cases against them.

The division bench was hearing the petitions filed by former MNA Rashid Akbar Niwani and former MPA Saeed Akbar Niwani. The petitioners said Bhakar police had lodged two fake degree cases against them on the complaint of their rival Ghaznfar Abbas Chenna in 2002. The petitioners said they had withdrawn their nomination papers prior to the scrutiny and their papers had not been checked.

They said filing nomination papers was punishable under Section 82 of People’s Representation Act1976. They said the sessions court did not have jurisdiction to proceed against them. The prosecution said filing of inaccurate papers was punishable by law.

The bench dismissed the review petition and ruled that sessions court did have the jurisdiction to hear the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2013.