ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court reserved judgement in a plea moved by former Joint Secretary of Ministry of Religious Affairs, Raja Aftabul Islam and ex- Director General Hajj, Rao Shakeel against their imprisonment in the Hajj Corruption case.
A single judge bench of Chief Justice Anwar Khan Kasi reserved the judgment following the arguments presented by litigants.
Muhammad Muhsan Bhatti counsel for the former Joint Secretary and Qazi Misbah Hussain counsel for the Ex- DG appeared before the bench and apprised that their clients had been behind the bars since 2010 and imprisonment of their apart almost served.
Both counsels requested before the bench to accept their plea to release Mr. Islam and Mr. Shakeel, adding that their clients were ready to deposit surety bonds against fine imposed by trail court.
Counsel for the FIA draw attention of the bench towards trial court which ordered that if convicts did not deposit fine then prisoners had to serve four years more imprisonment against fine.
After going through the arguments the bench reserved judgment to announce later.
It is pertinent to mention here that a special court while hearing the Hajj corruption case sentenced the Ex- Joint Secretary, ex- Director General Hajj, Rao Shakeel and the former Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi to six years in prison each on two counts and imposed a fine of approximately Rs147. 4 million.
