SC rejects bail plea in kidnapping case

SC noted accused roaming freely despite victim recording statement with the police

ISLAMABAD: The apex court on Tuesday turned down a pre-arrest bail plea from a suspect charged with assaulting witnesses and kidnapping a woman.

A two-member bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the case on Tuesday. At the onset of hearing, the applicant pleaded to the court to adjourn the proceeding as his counsel was absent.

He added that he did not even know what he had been accused of. At this, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin said that the petitioner broke into a house, assaulted its residents as they were witnesses in a kidnapping case in which the petitioner was nominated.

The court further noted that the accused was still roaming freely even though the victim had recorded her statement with the police. The court stated that the criminal system should be abolished if the criminals are not detained.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2020.