LHC denies bail to suspect in hazardous poultry case

The Lahore High Court has dismissed as non-maintainable the bail petition of a suspect accused of selling 1,200 kilogrammes of dead chickens, observing that people involved in such offences could not be allowed to return to society and endanger public health.

Justice Ghulam Sarwar Nihung heard the petition filed by Tanveer Masih, who has been in custody for about eight months.

During the proceedings, the court observed that a "mafia" was playing with people's lives and expressed concern over delays in investigations into such cases.

The judge remarked that police often failed to complete investigations promptly, allowing suspects to benefit from prolonged proceedings.

The court said it could not grant relief to an accused in such a case and allow him to return to society where he could commit what it described as a "heinous crime".

Justice Nihung directed investigating officers to complete investigations into such cases on a priority basis and without unnecessary delay.

Counsel for the Punjab Food Authority opposed the bail petition.

The suspect's counsel told the court that Food Authority officials had raided the premises and arrested Tanveer Masih about eight months ago, but police at Balochni police station in Faisalabad had yet to complete the investigation.