Hyderabad:
The No1 Hyderabad Responsibility Court, chaired by Judge Naseem Akhtar Soomro, has acquitted 12 defendants from the Naushahro Feroze district in the reference of mega corruption related to the purchase of land for the Hyderabad-Sukkur highway (M-6). The reference involved more than 5 billion in alleged corruptions.
However, the cases are still ongoing against 30 suspects, including the commissioners of Matiari and the districts of Naushehro Feroze, who run after pocketing billions of rupees aimed at buying land for the highway.
The court accepted the plea of acquittal presented by the defendants and released them with honor after concluding that no evidence had been found against them during the investigations carried out by NAB and the Anti -Corruption Establishment (ACE).
The acquitted individuals include two former Mukhtiarkars, three employees, three Tapedars and former personal assistant (PA) of the former demon commissioner of Naushehro fierze. The decision was reserved after the final arguments of the councils and was issued yesterday in a two -page written sentence.
The sentence declared that no incriminating material was found against applicants during the investigations, and NAB’s special prosecutor had also confirmed the absence of any registered evidence. The anti -corruption establishment had initially investigated the alleged corruption in the land acquisition process and then transferred the case to NAB.
The defendants were acquitted under section 265 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CPRC). The acquitted include, Shafiq Ahmed Soomro (former Mukhtiarkar Mehrabpur), Niaz Ali Ajan, (former Mukhtiarkar Bhirya City), Abdul Aziz Ansari (former PC Naushehro fierze), Abdul Ghafffar to bring (former high -level employee), Ghulam Haqani and Tanveahto and Tanveahto and Tanveaht (former Tapedars), Rustam Khoso (former account employee), Khalid Masood Channa (Private Contractor), Sajjad Ahmed Memon (former Social Welfare Officer), Actab Ahmed Soomro and Siraj Ahmed Memon (seal vendors) and Abdul Ghaffar Marri (Notary Public).
It is pertinent to mention that NAB had presented this reference in the Court of Responsibility in 2023, claiming RS5.8 billion funds in funds assigned for land acquisition for the M-6 highway in the Matiari and Naushehro Feroze districts. The case included several government officials, private contractors and individuals, with a total of 42 people appointed as accused.
While 12 have been acquitted, the reference against the remaining 30 defendants, including the DC DC Matiari Adnan Rasheed and the Naushehro fierze Tashfeen Alam of DC Naushehro Feroze Tashfeen Alam, is still in trial in the Court of Responsibility No. 1.
