HYDERABAD: The Sindh High Court Hyderabad Circuit Bench has ordered the provincial government to refer an inquiry against former Jail Superintendent Pir Shabbir Jan Sarhindi to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The bench on Thursday gave eight weeks time to the government to ensure compliance by referring the matter in question to the NAB.

The court in its order observed that the former Jail Superintendent of the Central Jail Hyderabad had initiated a commercial project on the prison’s land in 2013.

The jailer had advertised tender for construction of 12 commercial shops in 2013 unlawfully.

“The question is whether the superintendent was under any authority, power or obligation to issue such a tender without sanction of the law. Prima facie simple answer to that question is no,” the bench observed.

The SHC noted that the superintendent should not have issued the tender for construction of the shops and that too for the benefit of the individuals on a monthly basis.

The bench expressed dismay over aversion of the Additional Advocate General Allah Bachayo Soomro about informing the court about Sarhandi’s whereabouts.

“The AAG has shown his ignorance if Sarhandi is still serving or has gone elsewhere. We didn’t appreciate such an attempt of the learned AAG to save the superintendent from clutches of the consequences of an unlawful action taken by him,” the bench stated.

The court reiterated that the land allocated for the prison could not be used for the commercial purpose by the department or any individual officer.