KARACHI: An anti-corruption court has ordered the Anti-Corru­ption Establishment (ACE) director to “immediately suspend” a circle officer in Hyderabad for allegedly taking bribe from a prosecution witness.

The provincial special judge of the anti-corruption court, Muhammad Aminullah, issued direction for suspension of Hyderabad circle officer Naseer Ahmed Sheikh, who is accu­sed of taking Rs100,000 from a witness on the pretext of a ‘surety bond’.

“[The] director Anti-Corruption Establishment, Sindh is hereby directed to immediately suspend the circle officer and initiate criminal proceedings against the circle officer and recommend his case for the issue of major penalty not below the suspension / removal from service by adop­ting the procedure,” the court ordered.

The court also ordered the ACE director to submit a compliance report within two weeks.

According to prosecutor Sharafuddin Kanhar, Mukhtiarkar Farhan Ali Jatoi in Hyderabad, one of the prosecution witnesses, had failed to appear in another corruption case. Consequently, the court issued a bailable warrant with a surety bond of Rs25,000, instructing the circle officer to confirm his appearance in court.

Instead of accepting the stipulated surety bond, the circle officer allegedly took Rs100,000 from Farhan. As he appeared in the court, Farhan informed the judge that the officer had collected additional amount as bribe.

“Farhan Ali Jatoi informed that circle officer of the ACE Hyderabad namely Naseer Ahmed Sheikh received one lac rupees cash from him as bribe amount instead he must have to take surety bond in the sum of Rs25,000 as directed by this court. The circle officer also admitted in bail bond that the amount which was given will be forfeited if he failed to appear in Court. This statement amounts to an admission that the circle officer received a cash amount from the witness,” the order said.

“The statement of Farhan Ali Jatoi reflects that circle officer of ACE Hyderabad with criminal intimidation and just to create hindrance in court proceedings forcibly took a bribe amount in the name of this court,” the court observed.

The court has withdrawn the bailable warrant against Farhan as he surrendered and requested mercy before the court.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2024