SHC summons report in bail on fake grounds

Police official, three others accused landed into further trouble when the official sought help from SHC.

KARACHI: A police official and three accused men in a criminal case landed into further trouble when the official sought help from the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The SHC bench was hearing an application filed by ASI Muhammad Akram, who challenged the order passed by a judicial magistrate (JM), central, recalling his bail.

Akram had allegedly issued a certificate confirming that the three accused, Saleem Khan, Waseem Khan and another man, were arrested in Karachi under Section 54 (arrest on suspicion) and therefore provided the men a reasonable alibi that protected them from the charges of attempted murder for a crime in Mirpurkhas that took place at the same time.

All of them obtained bail on grounds of an alibi. Later it was found that no entry was made by the respondent/applicant ASI Akram and that the accused had lied before the court.

When it was found out that Akram had misused his powers, an FIR was also filed against him but he was granted bail.

Later, the JM central revoked his bail and ordered the police to produce him before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of misusing power and issuing a false certificate. However the court dismissed the petition, saying that it did not involve corruption. On Wednesday, the ASI approached the SHC, submitting that the decision to revoke his bail was unjust.

However, when the SHC bench found out that the accused had connived to get bail by misrepresentation and had lied to a subordinate court it issued orders to look into how the bail was granted.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah ordered District and Sessions Judge Mirpurkhas to submit a report on his findings. The bench adjourned till next Tuesday, November 30.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2010.