Prosecution delay: Record summoned in bail petition

Accused says he has been in jail for more than 2 years without a trial.

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions judge on Saturday said he wanted to see the police record on June 6 in an after-arrest bail plea of a man accused of killing his landlord.

The brother of the victim has stated in the FIR, registered with Islampura police, that the accused Tariq Zubair had rented a portion of his bother’s house. His brother, Atiqur Rehman, and his family used to live on the ground floor while Zubair was renting the upper portion. According to the complainant, Zubair had installed a water-pump in his brother’s yard, which used to make a lot of noise.

Rehman, he said, had complained to his tenant many times about the noise and asked him to get the pump repaired but the latter continued ignoring the former’s requests. Zubair had flared up and shot Rehman when he complained once again, said the complainant.

Zubair has pleaded innocence. He was arrested on March 22, 2011 and charges were framed on February 17, 2012 but no witnesses have recorded evidence against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.