PHC asks ACE ex-chief, other officials to appear before court

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the former director and other officials of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Ziaullah Toru to appear before a local court within seven days in the first information reports (FIR) lodged against them for misuse of their authority.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, however, extended the restraining order for a week time, directing the police not to arrest him in the FIRs till the next order of the court.

During hearing, the petitioner lawyer Emad Azam submitted that the complainants mentioned in the FIRs had given a statement before investigation officer of the concerned police station and they denied for levelling the allegations against the petitioners.

The lawyer prayed the court to cancel the FIRs against the petitioners as these were lodged under malafide intention. ACE former director Ziaullah Toru and other officials, including Assistant Director Ali Hussain, had filed a writ petition in the court, seeking suspension of the FIRs.The petitioners prayed the court to restrain the police from arresting them. They accused the Kohat Police of registering FIRs against them in connivance with the chief secretary.