KARACHI, July 31: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Tuesday a man to five years imprisonment in a money extortion case.

Mohammad Asif alias Chhoottu was thrashed and his accomplice Faraz was lynched by an angry mob when they attacked shopkeepers in Kharadar in March 2011over non-payment of protection money.

Judge Khalida Yasin of the ATC-II found him guilty of demanding the protection money by putting the victims in fear of death and carrying unlicensed weapons.

The court sentenced him to five-year imprisonment under Section 387 of the Pakistan Penal Code and another five years in jail under Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance.

However, the court ruled that both sentences would run concurrently.The court in its verdict observed that the evidence of witnesses remained reliable on material points and the documentary evidence was also found corroborating with their testimonies.

The prosecution had been able to place sufficient evidence against the accused and the charge about the demand of extortion and carrying unlicensed weapons stood proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, it added.

According to the prosecution, on March 10, 2011 Asif along with his accomplice Faraz went to a chicken centre, owned by two brothers, Zahid and Tariq, in Kharadar and demanded Rs500,000 protection money and attempted to abduct Zahid when they refused to pay. The accused opened fire leaving Zahid wounded as he put up resistance and in the meantime Tariq attacked the accused with a knife and overpowered them with the help of other shopkeepers and customers, it added.

The crowd thrashed the accused persons with sticks, knives and other objects and they were handed over to police. Faraz died later. The police recovered a sub-machine gun from the possession of Asif.

Two cases (FIR Nos.120/2011 & 121/2011) were registered under Sections 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 324 (attempted murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Man acquitted

Another anti-terrorism court acquitted on Tuesday a man in extortion, police encounter and possessing illicit weapons cases.

Abu Bengali along with his absconding accomplice Arshad alias K2 was charged with demanding protection money from a shopkeeper within the remit of the Khawaja Ajmer Nagari police station in September 2011 and attacking a police party to avoid arrest.

Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon of the ATC-III pronounced his verdict after hearing both sides.

The court observed that the prosecution had examined four policemen and the complainant in the case, but there were glaring contradictions in their evidence.

It also failed to establish that the demand made by the accused was for protection money, the verdict said, adding that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charge of encounter and illicit weapons.

According to the prosecution, on Nov 9, 2011 the accused had demanded protection money from complainant Mohammad Yaqoob by extending threats and in the evening they came near Hub River Road to collect the money. However, when a waiting police team tried to arrest them, they opened fire on the police. One of the accused was arrested after an encounter while the other accused ran away under the cover of fire, it added.

The police also claimed to have recovered an unlicensed weapon and a book of receipts of Ahle Sunnet Khidmat Committee (trust) in the custody of the accused.

However, the defence side submitted that the accused were not extorting money, but they were associated with a charity.

The accused were booked under Sections 384, 324, 353 and 34 of the PPC and 13-D of the Arms Ordinance.