Daily Times

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in former chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), Nisar Morai’s plea challenging his jail sentence in an illegal recruitment case. An accountability court had awarded an 11-year jail term to Nisar Morai in the FCS reference. Morai’s lawyer in his arguments before the court stated that his client was arrested on April 10, 2018, over charges of illegal appointments in the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS). Terming the allegations as baseless he demanded to set aside the NAB court’s verdict against Morai. The NAB’s lawyer opposing the acquittal of the accused stated before the court that Morai abused his power while being chairman of the FCS. The court after hearing the initial arguments from both sides sought reply from the NAB in the case. The court had awarded 11-year jail term to Nisar Morai in FCS reference. He was handed four years jail term for illegal recruitment and seven years’ sentence for misuse of authority. In its verdict, the court observed that Nisar Morai made 143 illegal recruitment and regularised jobs of 20 people during his tenure and the charge of illegal recruitment against him has been proved in the case. The NAB had filed a reference in January 2018, accusing then FCS chief Morai and others of misusing their authority, embezzling funds, making illegal appointments and awarding fake contracts during 2014-15. According to the reference, the defendants caused losses to the tune of Rs 343 million to the national exchequer.