A banking court has indicted a BPS-19 officer of the Finance Division and her husband for allegedly submitting a bogus cheque to a private bank in connection with the repayment of a house loan.
Sehar Mannoo, a deputy secretary, and her husband Qadeer Ashfaq pleaded not guilty and chose to contest the charges. Banking Court-III Judge Muhammad Kashif read out the charge sheet during a hearing on January 3 and directed the prosecution to present its evidence on February 3.
The court also approved Sehar Mannoo’s request to appoint a pleader to attend proceedings on her behalf.
The case stems from a criminal complaint filed by JS Bank Limited under provisions of the Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) Ordinance, 2001, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
According to the bank’s counsel, the accused obtained a Rs90.5 million loan for house construction but failed to repay it as agreed.
The lawyer stated that the accused later submitted a guarantee cheque, which was dishonored due to insufficient funds. He argued that the couple is liable to prosecution and punishment under the law.
Earlier, the court had issued bailable arrest warrants against the accused for repeatedly failing to appear before the court.