An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) has given a life sentence to two men, including a retired Major, in a case pertaining to the abduction of a businessman for a ransom of Rs 16 million.
The court convicted Major (retd) Nawazish Akbar and a civilian named Naveed Khan on charges of abducting Sher Bahadur, a businessman from Karachi.
The victim was kidnapped when he was returning from the district Malir court 17 years ago. The amount of cash received by the abductors was seven million in cash, and jewellery was worth nine million in ransom.
ATC judge sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment along with three years for wrongful confinement and seven years for robbing the victim’s car.
Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of the convicts’ property.
Sher Bahadur’s brother lodged a complaint stating that the accused, Major (retd) Nawazish, was a five per cent business partner with his brother, who owned a construction company.
Despite reaching a compromise, Nawazish signed a written agreement with an assurance to settle the amount after the business dispute. However, instead of paying the amount, the retired major allegedly threatened his brother of dire consequences.
Later, on June 6, 2006, the complainant and his brother’s vehicle was intercepted by Nawazish, along with his accomplices Haji Zaman, Amir Khan, Fareed Ahmed, Naveed, and Nadeem, on their way back from Malir Court.
They abducted Sher Bahadur and took him to an unknown location.
The state prosecutor informed the court that the complaint was lodged against the abductors one and a half years after the incident.
The complainant was informed that his brother would be released after the business dispute was solved.
The complainant told the court that he established a construction company in 2004 and gave a five per cent share to his employee, Nawazish.
However, an audit revealed embezzlement by Nawazish and another employee, Naveed.
Following the audit, the accused reportedly submitted written declarations apologising for the financial appropriations.
In his testimony, the brother further said that months later, these two employees conspired against him and got him arrested in a five million rupees cheque dishonour case.
He testified in front of the court that the convict took over his office premises “illegally” while he was on the judicial remand.
Resultantly, he terminated the services of both Nawazish and Naveed over allegations of fraud.
Describing his six-month-long captivity, the victim alleged that the convict confined him to a room where his accomplices-Haji Zaman and Aamir-said to be associated with the Taliban, made various attempts to make him a suicide bomber.
He was frequently visited by the retired Major.
In the meanwhile, Nawazish had transferred 95 percent of the company’s shares to Haji Zaman and sold assets worth Rs 20 million.
He further claimed that after he was released on medical grounds, he filed petitions in the Sindh High Court in 2008 and 2014 in a bid to get the Major arrested and recovery of his assets.
The court noted in its verdict that both the accused persons did not deny the declarations, adding that based on the first impression, “they have committed misappropriation/fraud of Rs7,000,000, which they have to return to the abductee, so their conduct itself proves that they were involved in the fraud or cheating in his company.”
The court made an observation about the delay of the challan form by quoting, “The involvement of influential individuals, notably the accused Nawazish Akbar, a retired Major, contributed to the delay, further evidenced by the prolonged delay of 17-18 years in submitting the challan.”
“His testimony was supported by over 700 pages of documentary evidence, which detailed the extent of the financial exploitation he endured”, the verdict concluded by acknowledging the victim’s testimony.
