KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday granted bail to a former sub-accountant of the district account office, Hyderabad, in a case pertaining to misappropriation of government funds to the tune of over Rs418 million.

A division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar gave Ali Hasan Abro bail in the sum of Rs2.5 million and also ordered him to deposit his passport with the Nazir of the court.

The bench also directed the passport issuing authority not to issue the applicant any fresh passport till the disposal of the matter.

The district government accountant sought bail from the high court through a constitutional petition that was finally disposed of by the court.

The petitioner submitted that he was found responsible for misappropriation of Rs336.288 million estimated till today.

He said that he along with other accused persons paid back Rs133.056 million to the National Accountability Bureau.

The petitioner stated that he and the other accused offered to return voluntarily the remaining misappropriated amount in three instalments and the first instalment of Rs69.099 million was already paid.

He said that the payment of the balance amount was secured by the NAB authorities by way of delivery of two post-dated cheques.

His counsel submitted that his client was entitled to be enlarged on bail as three other co-accused in the case had also been granted bail.

While granting bail the judge, however, ordered that in case any of the cheques submitted by the petitioner with the NAB authorities was dishonoured, the “bail shall stand cancelled and the NAB shall be at liberty to prosecute the petitioner accordingly”.

The court also restrained the petitioner from leaving the country till the disposal of the matter against him and directed that his name “shall remain on the ECL [exit control list] till such time”.

Production of ‘missing’ men in court ordered The Sindh High Court on Monday directed the officials of the Rangers and CID police to produce in court two missing men if they were in their custody.

A division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar also issued notices to the home secretary, the Rangers director-general, the inspector general of police, Major Kamran, superintendent of the CID police and the SHO of the Mauripur police station and put off the hearing to March 4.

Petitioner Khawaz Alam, a resident of Mauripur, moved the court against the law enforcers for allegedly keeping his son, Saeed Alam, and nephew, Abdul Wahab, in their illegal custody.

The petitioner, represented by Muhammed Naseeruddin, submitted in his petition that the law enforcers raided his house and picked up his son and nephew on Feb 11, 2013.

He alleged that the raiding law enforcers also took away Rs125,000 and gold ornaments weighing five tolas.

The petitioner stated in the petition that the respondent Ranger official demanded Rs500,000 for the release of the two detained young men.

He said he made an attempt to approach the Rangers chief but in vain.

The petitioner submitted that he also approached the area police for lodging a complaint regarding the kidnapping of his son and nephew, but the officials refused to entertain his application.

The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the SHO of the Mauripur police station to lodge an FIR against the law-enforcers for kidnapping his son and nephew and demanding ransom for their release.

He also prayed to the court to direct the respondents to produce the detained persons in court.

The bench issued notices to the respondents, the advocate general and the deputy attorney general with a direction to the respondent Rangers and CID officials to produce the detained persons in court on the next date of hearing in case they were in their custody.