SHC orders speedy trial in Rs232.42m corruption reference

21 officials, contractors of Manjhand Town Committee booked in the case

HYDERABAD: In a corruption reference of Rs232.42 million concerning a local body in Jamshoro district, the Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the accountability court to conclude the trial 'preferably' within four months.

Some 21 officials and contractors of Manjhand Town Committee are booked in the reference being heard at the accountability court in Hyderabad.

The bench, comprising Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan, also approved on Thursday the bail of six officials and contractors, while ordering the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to put their names on the Exit Control List. The other 15 charged in the case are already on bail.

"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 will also have to submit fortnightly reports of the trial’s progress in the SHC.



The bench justified the grant of bail, citing the National Accountability Ordinance, which has stipulated that the courts to conclude a trial within 30 days of filing the reference. "Heinousness of offence or embezzlement of huge amount[s] would not be a good ground for refusal of bail on the ground of non-conclusion of the case [within] statutory period," the judges observed.

NAB assigned the inquiry of the matter to assistant director Aslam Pervez Abro on November 25, 2015. Subsequently, a reference was filed in which 21 persons were nominated.

The court also noted that the entire case of the prosecution was based on documentary evidence which is in the investigation officer's possession and that those booked are not required for further investigation.

The petitioners' counsels, Riazat Ali Sahar, Mazhar Hussain Kalwar, Ishrat Ali Lohar and Nasrullah Korai, argued that the IO has failed to prove the case and urged the court to quash the reference. However, the SHC dismissed the plea for quashing the case.

They argued that the IO could not establish the allegations of fictitious vouchers issued for bogus works. They also said the site inspection of all the alleged bogus works was not done properly and that the IO has also failed to prove that issuance of all bills and cheques pertained to the years 2012-13 and 2013-14, they added.



The counsels further claimed that the IO visited only nine of the 100 sites where the works were carried out. They added that the cost of works at those nine sites was not above Rs900,000.

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. The SHC on Thursday approved the bail pleas of Beg, Khaskheli, Zulfiqar Ali Khaskheli, Aftab Ali Khaskheli, Abid Ali Khoso and Parvaz Daud Rahpoto against a surety of Rs500,000 each.