KARACHI, Dec 5: An anti-corruption court remanded on Wednesday six suspects, including a senior official of the Sindh wildlife department, in the custody of the anti-corruption police in a case pertaining to illegal trade in falcons.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) produced the SWD’s game officer Mumtaz Soomro and suspects Mir Zaman, Jalat Khan, Mohammad Mushtaq, Mohammad Ali and Faiz-ur-Rehman in court and sought their custody for interrogation.

Judge Rashida Asad of the Special Anti-Corruption Court Karachi remanded them in ACE custody for one day.

A team of ACE, under the supervision of a judicial magistrate, raided a shop near Punjab Chowrangi on Dec 4 and seized 32 rare migratory falcons.

The trapping and trading of falcons is banned under the Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1972.

The prosecution said that the wildlife official was allegedly sponsoring the unlawful trade in falcons and receiving bribe.

A case (FIR 17/12) was registered under Sections 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.Brokers Naeem and Aziz, said to be the main suspects, were shown absconders in the FIR.