On medical grounds: District court grants Taji Khokhar bail

Taji’s lawyer argues that his client was suffering from ailments, treatment for which is not available at Adiala Jail

RAWALPINDI: An additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Thursday granted bail to Imtiaz Khokhar alias Taji, in a murder case on medical grounds.

ADSJ Tahir Abbas Sipra accepted Taji’s bail plea after his lawyer Advocate Malik Waheed Anjum stated that his health was deteriorating and he needed special medical attention.

Earlier the trial court, Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench, and the Supreme Court had denied bail to Taji for the 2012 murder of Sabira Bibi, with whom he had a land dispute.

In the bail plea, Advocate Anjum said that Taji had been suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney problems for a while. He contended that Taji’s health had further deteriorated in recent days after he suffered heart complications.

The lawyer added that Taji, the younger brother of former National Assembly deputy speaker Nawaz Khokhar, required special medical attention which was not available at Adiala Jail.

After completing his arguments, the judge directed Taji to furnish two surety bonds, each worth Rs500,000.

Taji had been admitted to the Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi last week after he was moved out of the jail.

With his lawyer claiming that he was suffering from heart issues, he was also taken to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology for a check-up.

Taji and two of his sons were accused of killing Sabira Bibi on August 17, 2012, when a one-man fact-finding commission, set up by a court, visited the disputed land.

As the commission was set to start work, Taji allegedly shot at Sabira Bibi and her lawyer.

Later, Saira’s husband Muhammad Yaqoob filed an FIR with the Airport police claiming that Taji and his two sons had killed his wife.

A joint Investigation Team of Punjab Police headed, by a DIG, determined in their subsequent probe that Taji was guilty. The JIT also accused the then Airport Police SHO and Civil Lines DSP of helping Taji in the case.

The police arrested Taji on July 26, 2013, from his residence in Dhoke Gangal near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2017.