Murder case: Absent Shan Khusro’s bail plea dismissed
Petitioner could not turn up for hearing ‘because of threat to life’.
LAHORE:
A judge dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of Shan Muhammad Khan Khusro, son of former commissioner Khusro Pervez Khan, in a murder case on Monday.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nisar Ahmed dismissed the plea as the accused did not appear before the court. The judge also summoned Naziran Bibi, the surety of the petitioner, for June 28.
Khusro is accused of shooting and killing a friend, Hamza Elahi, son of businessman Sheikh Fazal Elahi.
At the onset of proceedings, Advocate Muhammad Qasim, a subordinate of the petitioner’s counsel, sought an adjournment for a few hours, submitting that Advocate Burhan Moazzam Malik would turn up by 10:30am.
The judge asked where the petitioner was. The counsel replied that he was on the premises, but had not entered the courtroom as he feared for his life. He said there were more than a hundred people outside who had turned up in support of the family of the alleged murder victim.
Qasim asked the judge to provide security to Khusro so he could attend proceedings. The judge directed police officials to escort Khusro to court for his safety, and directed the counsel to turn up with him at 10.30am.
Advocate Malik appeared at 10.30am and sought an adjournment, saying his client’s life was in danger. The judge responded that he was not prepared to adjourn proceedings and directed the counsel to start his arguments on the bail petition. Malik told the court that if he couldn’t get an adjournment, he wanted to withdraw the bail plea. The judge told him he could not do so in his client’s absence.
Malik again said that his client’s life was in danger. He said that CCTV footage from the day of one of the previous hearings showed two armed men with links to Fazal Elahi trying to enter the court premises, only to be turned back by security.
He said that he had told the district and sessions judge about the CCTV footage. He said there were currently a 100 men standing outside the courtroom. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for the petitioner to appear before the court, he said.
The judge dismissed the petition, stating in his order that Khusro had not showed up despite the court’s attempts to call him. The judge said Khusro’s refusal to attend proceedings was highly disrespectful.
The bail petition stated that Hamza Elahi had been killed in an unfortunate accident and there was no evidence of him being murdered. It stated that Khusro was a student currently sitting his A-Level exams and arresting him would cause an irreparable loss to his person and reputation.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2012.
A judge dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of Shan Muhammad Khan Khusro, son of former commissioner Khusro Pervez Khan, in a murder case on Monday.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nisar Ahmed dismissed the plea as the accused did not appear before the court. The judge also summoned Naziran Bibi, the surety of the petitioner, for June 28.
Khusro is accused of shooting and killing a friend, Hamza Elahi, son of businessman Sheikh Fazal Elahi.
At the onset of proceedings, Advocate Muhammad Qasim, a subordinate of the petitioner’s counsel, sought an adjournment for a few hours, submitting that Advocate Burhan Moazzam Malik would turn up by 10:30am.
The judge asked where the petitioner was. The counsel replied that he was on the premises, but had not entered the courtroom as he feared for his life. He said there were more than a hundred people outside who had turned up in support of the family of the alleged murder victim.
Qasim asked the judge to provide security to Khusro so he could attend proceedings. The judge directed police officials to escort Khusro to court for his safety, and directed the counsel to turn up with him at 10.30am.
Advocate Malik appeared at 10.30am and sought an adjournment, saying his client’s life was in danger. The judge responded that he was not prepared to adjourn proceedings and directed the counsel to start his arguments on the bail petition. Malik told the court that if he couldn’t get an adjournment, he wanted to withdraw the bail plea. The judge told him he could not do so in his client’s absence.
Malik again said that his client’s life was in danger. He said that CCTV footage from the day of one of the previous hearings showed two armed men with links to Fazal Elahi trying to enter the court premises, only to be turned back by security.
He said that he had told the district and sessions judge about the CCTV footage. He said there were currently a 100 men standing outside the courtroom. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for the petitioner to appear before the court, he said.
The judge dismissed the petition, stating in his order that Khusro had not showed up despite the court’s attempts to call him. The judge said Khusro’s refusal to attend proceedings was highly disrespectful.
The bail petition stated that Hamza Elahi had been killed in an unfortunate accident and there was no evidence of him being murdered. It stated that Khusro was a student currently sitting his A-Level exams and arresting him would cause an irreparable loss to his person and reputation.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2012.