The first bench of the Supreme Court has upheld conviction of Agha Wazir Abbas, a former excise and taxation officer, by an Accountability Court for evasion of taxes amounting to Rs 66 million through fake liquor import permits. But at the same time the court dismissed four appeals of the National Accountability Bureau against acquittal of former Sindh minister Ismail Raho and three wine merchants.
The Supreme Court maintained the seven-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20 million awarded to Agha Wazir Abbas but quashed sentences awarded to minister Ismail Raho, owner and manager of Kohistan Wine Merchants, Kaka Kishan Chand and Raj Kumar and also Asher Jan, manager of the Murree Brewery Limited of Rawalpindi.
A 12-page judgement authored by Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar also noted that Iqbal Solangi, director-general, Majid Pathan, director and Niaz Baloch, an officer of excise and taxation, Mehrumal Jagwani, a former member of the Sindh Assembly and owner of United Wine Merchants and his accountant and attorney, Baghwandas were declared absconders and would be tried whenever they were apprehended.
The first bench described the judgement of the Sindh High Court in the case one based on proper appraisal of evidence and based on cogent reasons. Presided over by Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, the first bench included Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.
The bench had heard the case during February last and announced its findings on Thursday Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Aitzaz Ahson, Kamal Azhar and Ahmed Reza Kasuri had argued cases for the appellants and respondents.