Levelling allegations: MNA granted pre-arrest bail

The legislator is accused of assaulting a female constable

ISLAMABAD:

A district and sessions court granted pre-arrest bail to Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Shahjehan Mangrio on Tuesday in a case in which the lawmaker has been accused of allegedly assaulting a female police official.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Asif Mehmood awarded bail to the MNA against surety of Rs10,000.

Constable Afshan Naz had alleged that Mangrio, a National Peoples Party lawmaker from Sukkur, Sindh allegedly assaulted her at Parliament Lodges.

When the case was taken up, Naz’s counsel said that the police have not yet obtained CCTV footage, while noting that injuries caused to her during the incident are verified and listed in the medical report.

Mangrio’s counsel maintained that the sections in the First Information Report (FIR) were bailable and sections dealing with torture could not be made based on the medical report.

The police said an argument broke out when the constable refused to go see the MNA in her apartment, after which the legislator slapped her.

Sources claim that the MNA had asked the constable to facilitate her guest, but the guest was not given ‘due protocol’.

Naz then filed a case against Mangrio for obstructing a public servant in discharge of duty, and assaulting a public servant.

At the end of the hearing, the court granted bail-before-arrest to Mangrio.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2015.