Jaranwala court acquits drug accused
Accused Ijaz and Mariam Bibi were acquitted due to lack of evidence. PHOTO: REUTERS
A court in Jaranwala has acquitted the accused in a drug case. In a detailed order announced by Jaranwala Additional Sessions Court Judge Muhammad Mumtaz, questions have been raised about poor investigation by the police.
According to the order, citizen Abdullah Asif, a resident of Majawran, was arrested by Sub-Inspector Ehtesham Abbas of Kharianwala police on June 14 on the suspicion of drug trafficking.
Later, the police registered a case against him over the seizure of 1.5kg of hashish.
During the hearing, statements of former Muharrar Faizan Javed, Sub-Inspector Shahbaz Anwar, Muharrar Riazul Haq, SI Ehtesham Abbas and other police employees were recorded.
During the trial, it transpired that the accused neither had any previous record of drug trafficking nor had he been nominated in any other case.
The hashish was presented as evidence against the accused by the police.
Due to poor investigation by the police officials and other shortcomings, a citizen was implicated in the case, the court order stated, observing lack of communication and negligence of the police during the course of investigation.
Upon the acquittal, the court sent a release order to the superintendent of the Central Jail and ordered that Abdullah be released immediately. The court also ordered that the hashish presented by the police as evidence should be disposed of in accordance with the law.