Blasphemy case: Second bail plea of accused dismissed

LAHORE: An additional districts and session judge dismissed the second bail plea of an accused allegedly involved in blasphemy, saying case for the request was not made on legal grounds.

The suspect submitted a bail plea, stating six years had passed but no evidence was produced in court.

He claimed he was implicated in a case to blackmail him and had nothing to do with the case.  The investigation officer, he said, had failed to connect the petitioner with commission of offence, given the evidence collected by former.

The complainant’s counsel opposed the petition, stating witnesses were present on 22 dates of hearings, out of which the accused was not produced on 12. The case was adjourned on eight dates due to strikes. The suspect had taken adjournments several times over different reasons and the delay in concluding the case was caused by defence.

The accused was arrested on December 11, 2010 and sent to prison. On March 1, 2011, the charge-sheet was submitted  and on October 19, 2012, formal charges were framed. On March 28, 2013, the first post-arrest bail petition was dismissed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2016.