13 accused arrested in bribery, forgery case after bail revoked

The anti-corruption police on Monday arrested 13 accused after a court revoked their pre-arrest interim bail in a case pertaining to alleged bribery and manipulation of land records.

Assistant commissioner Aijaz Ali Halepoto, mukhtiarkar Mohammad Aslam Shar, supervising tapedar Zulfiqar Leghari and senior clerk Shabana Kanwal, along with 15 local government officials and private persons, have been booked by the Anti-Corruption Establishment on charges of forgery, cheating and bribery.

On Monday, the anti-corruption court announced its order on applications of 15 accused seeking confirmation of interim pre-arrest bail granted to them earlier. The judge ruled that the accused failed to make out a case of confirmation and dismissed their bail.

Two accused managed to escape following the pronouncement of the order, while the rest were arrested by the anti-corruption police. Accused Shabana's bail has already been confirmed in the case.

State prosecutor Sharafuddin contended that the accused indulged in bribery and manipulation of land records, as evident from a video that went viral on social media in July 2023. In the video, accused Shabana, senior clerk revenue in Malir district, was seen demanding and accepting bribe of millions for preperation of documents in collaboration with other accused, he added.

She and other accused were allegedly foundy guilty of criminal misconduct punishable under sections 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect to an official act), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947.