12 individuals exonerated in the M6 case
The Accountability Court No. 1 in Hyderabad, under the jurisdiction of Judge Naseem Akhtar Soomro, has exonerated 12 defendants from the Naushahro Feroze district in the extensive corruption case concerning the acquisition of land for the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M-6). The reference pertained to nearly Rs5 billion in purported corruption.
Nonetheless, legal proceedings are ongoing against 30 suspects, including the dismissed deputy commissioners of Matiari and Naushehro Feroze districts, who are evading capture after embezzling billions of rupees allocated for land acquisition for the road.
The court granted the acquittal motions submitted by the defendants and released them honorably, determining that no evidence had been uncovered against them during investigations by the NAB and the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).
The acquitted persons comprise two former Mukhtiarkars, three clerks, three tapedars, and the former personal assistant of the ex-deputy commissioner of Naushehro Feroze. The ruling was deferred following the concluding arguments from the attorneys and was delivered Friday in a two-page written verdict.
The ruling indicated that no incriminating evidence was discovered against the applicants during the investigations, and NAB’s special prosecutor likewise affirmed the lack of any evidence on record. The Anti-Corruption Establishment initially examined the purported corruption in the land acquisition process and subsequently passed the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The defendants were exonerated pursuant to Section 265 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPrC). The acquitted individuals are Shafiq Ahmed Soomro (former Mukhtiarkar of Mehrabpur), Niaz Ali Ajan (former Mukhtiarkar of Bhirya City), Abdul Aziz Ansari (former PA to the DC of Naushehro Feroze), Abdul Ghaffar Depar (former senior clerk), Ghulam Haqqani Sehto, Tanveer Ali Mallah (former tapedars), Rustam Khoso (former accounts clerk), Khalid Masood Channa (private contractor), Sajjad Ahmed Memon (former social welfare officer), Aftab Ahmed Soomro, Siraj Ahmed Memon (stamp vendors), and Abdul Ghaffar Marri (Notary Public).
NAB submitted this reference to the accountability court in 2023, alleging corruption of Rs5.8 billion in money designated for land acquisition for the M-6 Motorway in the districts of Matiari and Naushehro Feroze. The case involved multiple government officials, private contractors, and individuals, totaling 42 accused persons.
Although 12 individuals have been acquitted, the case against the other 30 defendants, including suspended Deputy Commissioner Matiari Adnan Rasheed and absconding/suspended Deputy Commissioner Naushehro Feroze Tashfeen Alam, remains ongoing in Accountability Court No. 1.
