Arshad Pappu case: Verdict deferred as judge refuses to hear bail plea

Baloch is facing charges of abducting and murdering Pappu, his brother Arafat, aide Shera, on March 16 in Karachi.

KARACHI:

The verdict on the bail application of Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Shahjehan Baloch has been deferred after one of the two judges hearing the case refused to proceed, Baloch’s lawyer told media on Thursday.

Baloch is facing charges of abducting and murdering Arshad Pappu, his brother, Yasir Arafat and their aide, Juma Shera, on March 16 in Karachi. In November, Baloch had approached the Sindh High Court against the dismissal of his bail plea by the ATC on October 6. Police had submitted a charge-sheet against Shahjehan Baloch, Zubair Baloch, Zakir Dada, Abdul Rehman and Yousuf Baloch in the triple murder case before the special ATC.

A two-judge appellate bench had reserved its order on the bail application after hearing arguments from the state prosecutor and the defense lawyer on December 23. Later, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah refused to proceed with the matter, advocate Amir Mansoob said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2014.