PHC grants bail to weapons scam accused

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued release on bail of Raza Ali, an accused in the weapons purchase case, directing him to furnish bail bonds of worth Rs50 million.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the release order of Raza Ali, a close relative of former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti, after the NAB failed to submit plea bargain application in the accountability court.
However, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Jamil Khan opposed the bail in the contempt of court petition and sought some time for providing the mortgaged property records in the court.
Raza Ali had filed the contempt of court petition against the NAB. The petitioner’s lawyer, Umar Farooq Adam, submitted before the bench that the court had on January 12, 2015 directed the NAB chairman to submit the plea bargain application of Raza Ali in the accountability court within three days. The accountability court was asked to decide it within seven days.
He asked the NAB to submit the plea bargain application of Raza Ali. The bureau submitted an objection application in the accountability court, claiming the mortgaged property of the accused was insufficient.
The counsel submitted the property was mortgaged by the NAB after thorough examination. He said his client had paid 50 percent amount in cash. For the remaining 50 percent, he mortgaged his properties. The NAB, he said, was reluctant to submit the plea bargain application in the accountability court for approval.
Raza Ali, brother-in-law of Ameer Ghazan Hoti, was arrested by the NAB in the weapons procurement scam of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Department after the judicial statement of Arshad Majeed, a private contractor and principal accused, who turned approver in the scam and named him for providing Rs195 million to him for onward payment to Ghazan Hoti, brother of the former chief minister.
Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday directed the Ministry of Defence and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department to submit replies in the Indian national’s missing case.
Additional Registrar (Judicial) Muhammad Asif forwarded the case to a division bench, to be headed by PHC chief justice for further hearing that will be held on February 26, with the direction to the Ministry of Defence and secretary Home and Tribal Affairs to submit their replies before the next hearing.
The PHC’s additional registrar also pointed out that the ISI and Ministry of Interior had shown their ignorance about whereabouts of the missing Indian national Nehal Hamid Ansari, 28. He had come to Kohat from Afghanistan and disappeared afterwards. However, he also stated that he had time and again asked the Ministry of Defence to file reply on behalf of the MI and KP Home Department, but failed in submission of the reply.
Earlier, in-charge of the Kohat Development Authority (KDA) Police Station submitted his reply to Additional Registrar (Judicial) Muhammad Asif. He claimed that the police had handed over the Indian national to the intelligence agency for further investigation.
The Police Department had no information about the missing person since then, he added. However, the Ministry of Defence sought more time for submission of reply in the case as the Ministry of Interior said it was not aware of the missing person’s whereabouts.
Ansari had left for Kabul, Afghanistan, on November 4, 2012 on a 90-day tourist visa. He was interested in getting a job in the operations sector of an airline company in Kabul after he failed to get a job with an airline in India. He had, however, promised to return within a week and remained in touch with his father, mother and brother for a week before he disappeared.
Also, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued contempt of court notice to deputy secretary of Ministry of Interior directing him to appear in person and explain as to why the court orders were not complied with regarding arrest of an accused charged in a murder case of a female student.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the contempt notice to the deputy secretary Ministry of Interior for not complying with the court order.
Dr Abdul Jalil had filed the contempt petition against secretary and deputy secretary Ministry of Interior for not complying with the court order about arrest of the killer of his daughter, who was living in Saudi Arabia. The petitioner’s lawyer, Muhammad Ijaz Sabi submitted before the bench that the high court through its order passed on November 6, 2012 directed the Ministry of Interior to issue red arrest warrant against the accused Sohail, who had escaped to Saudi Arabia after he was charged in the killing of 9th class female student in Peshawar.