Adviser to Chief Minister for Excise and Taxation M A Jalil has issued instructions to the Excise and Taxation Department to follow up the drugs case against industrialist Abdul Rehman and co-accused before the judicial majestrate by engaging a senior lawyer.
In his directive on Saturday, Jalil said that the case should be followed up in the court very diligently and a competent senior lawyer should be engaged by the department to prosecute the accused persons.
In its judgement on June 9, 2005, the Supreme Court had set aside the acquittal orders of the judicial majestrate in the case against Rehman and other accused persons. The other accused were identified as Mohammed Khan son of Ali Baz and Khan Mohammed son of Raja.
It has been further ordered that the case against Rehman and other persons shall proceed before the concerned judicial magistrate for final order within 60 days.
The case pertains to 1991 when 3200 kg charas was recovered from Plot No. LC-45 Sector - 29 Landhi Industrial Area, Karachi, which was owned by Rehman.
Accordingly a case under the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hudud) Order 1979 was initiated and submitted before the judicial magistrate. (East) Karachi.
The accused were acquitted by the trial court under section 249-A Cr PC.
The prosecution went in appeal before Sindh High Court and subsequently before the Supreme Court, which ordered the completion of trial by judicial magistrate after setting aside the acquittal orders.