SARGODHA: A special anti-corruption judge has delivered a verdict sentencing a naib tehsildar and a patwari to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs. 400,000.
The convicts, Ahmad Bilal Shah and Muhammad Asif Shah were found guilty of conspiring with the complainant’s brothers to unlawfully deny their sister, Fatima, her rightful inheritance.
The accused, in collusion with naib tehsildar Ahmad Nawaz and patwari Ameer Afzal, forged Fatima’s thumb impressions and fraudulently sold her inherited property, depriving her of her legitimate right of succession.
Upon receiving a complaint, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) regional director took prompt action and registered a case against the suspects in Mianwali.
During the investigation, the Punjab Forensic Science Agency conducted a thorough forensic test on the plaintiff’s signatures and fingerprints, providing crucial evidence in the case.
As a result, Special Judge Shehzad Hussain Bhatti handed down a 20-year prison sentence to both the naib tehsildar and patwari, in addition to a fine of Rs. 400,000.
The convictions were based on multiple charges under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
The details suggest that Under Section 420 of the PPC, both individuals received five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 100,000 each.
Similarly, they were sentenced to five years of imprisonment and a Rs. 100,000 fines under Section 468 of the PPC, and another five years of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs. 100,000 fines under Section 471 of the PPC.
Additionally, under Section 5(2)47 of the PCA, both convicts were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 100,000 each.
Following the pronouncement of the judgment, the anti-corruption team promptly arrested the convicted individuals, and have been transferred them to jail.
Source: DAWN
