Seven acquitted in illegal admissions at SMC case

KARACHI:

An accountability court acquitted on Monday seven persons accused in a reference pertaining to illegal admissions in Sindh Medical College (SMC) due to lack of evidence.

The seven acquitted include former SMC principal Akbar Haider, Dr Shamsher, Abdul Hadi Siddiqi, Professor Syed Naseeruddin, Aijaz Ahmed Siddiqi, Aleemuddin and Wakeel Khan.

According to the prosecution, the accused had taken admissions in SMC illegally from 2000 to 2001. They issued fake admit cards and enrolment cards from Karachi University in exchange for Rs700,000 bribe from each of the student. The verdict was announced after six years of trial.

Separately, the court issued notices to investigation officer and witnesses after the accused denied the charges against them in an illegal land allotment case against builder, Farrukh Mateen and others.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2021.