PESHAWAR: An accountability court here on Saturday convicted two former senior officials of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dera Ismail Khan, and sentenced them to five years imprisonment and Rs5 million fine each in a case of misappropriation of funds in the purchase of stationery items.

Judge Azhar Khan ruled that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused, including former BISE chairman Noor Mohammad and former controller Lal Baz, and that the evidence on record was enough for their conviction.

He, however, acquitted two private contractors, including Bilaland Allauddin, who were also charged in the reference with conniving with the prime accused for the supply of substandard stationery, which was also less than the prescribed quantity.

While convict Lal Baz has already been behind bars, the other three accused were earlier released on bail.

The NAB had claimed that during inquiry and investigation, it was revealed that the BISE DI Khan had issued tenders for purchase of stationery in a large quantity, including detailed marks certificates, examination papers etc.

It added that the two prime accused had favoured private contractors in securing contract for the stationery`s supply and that the supplied items were short in quantity, were of poor quality, and had exorbitant rates and therefore, the exchequer had suf fered a huge loss.

Sardar Ali Raza, lawyer for the two acquitted persons, said his client s were implicated in a fabricated case.

He said there was no evidence on record to prove that the two con-tractors had connived with the officials in getting the contracts of supply of stationery and that in fact they offered the lowest bids due to which they were given those contracts.

The lawyers for the two convicted accused also contended that the prosecution could not prove its case against their clients.

They added that the prosecution could not prove even a single charge for which their clients were facing trial.

PLEABARGAIN:Accountability court judge Ayub Khan has accepted the plea bargain of an accused, Jalil Ahmad, in a case about the Workers Welfare Board land`s acquisition scam.

Under the plea bargain, Jalil Ahmad has agreed to return Rs45 million to the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The NAB chairman had already given approval for his plea bargain application.

Under Section 25 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, the application was later referred tothe accountability court for final approval.

The court observed the accused should be freed if he`s not required in any other case.

The accused was arrested along with some other persons including officials of Workers Welfare Board f or their alleged involvement in illegal acquisition of about 400 kanals of land in Nowshera in 2009-10 for construction of a labour colony.

The NAB claimed that during the course of investigations, it was established that the accused persons including officials of WWB and revenue department had acquired land at exorbitant rates.

It added that the actual rate of the acquired land was very nominal and the officials of WWB knowingly and with mala fide intentions, in order to fulfill their ulterior motives, did not obtain the certificate from the DOR Nowshera regarding the nature of the land.

The accused, Jalil Ahmad, had acquired the land at much cheaper rates and had sold it out on much higher rates to the WWB as he was in connivance with the of ficials.