Islamabad court grants interim bail to co-suspect in student suicide case

Bail valid until October 20; court asks parties to present arguments at the next hearing

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court on Thursday granted interim bail to the co-suspect in the Laiba Ijaz suicide case up to October 20.

Laiba, who had aspired to study at a top US university, was found hanging from a tree near a road in Islamabad on October 9, after her family allegedly lost around Rs7 million to a consultant who had promised to secure her admission and a scholarship. The Federal Investigation Agency registered a case against suspects Muhammad Nauman and Fatima Sarwar under Sections 419 (cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Sections 18 and 22 of the Emigration Ordinance, 1979.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took notice of the incident and directed the inspector general of Islamabad police and the chief commissioner to take immediate action against the suspect. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also vowed to look into the case personally.

During the proceedings of the session court, co-suspect Nihar Muhammad pleaded not guilty.

His legal counsel said he was innocent and had been wrongfully implicated in the case.

Read: PM Shehbaz takes notice of gold medallist’s suicide in Islamabad following education funds scam

He also urged Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka to grant his client interim bail, which was granted against surety bonds worth Rs20,000.

The court also issued notices to the parties and directed them to present their arguments at the next hearing.

It is worth noting that the prime suspect in the case, Nauman, was sent on 5-day physical remand on Monday, October 12.

Police had registered the case against the suspects in the suicide case at Ramna Police Station.