Pakistan Case Law
2007 YLR 1743

M. RAMZAN vs THE STATE

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Citation2007 YLR 1743
CourtLahore High Court
Case No.Criminal Miscellaneous No .4525-B of 2006
Date2006-06-12
Judge(s)Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry
ResultBail refused
AI Summary — generated from this judgment; read the full text below and verify before relying on it.

This is a post-arrest bail application filed under section 497, Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 on behalf of Muhammad Ramzan, who was accused in an F.I.R. registered under section 10 of the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance 1979 for committing Zina-bil-Jabar with an 8-year-old minor girl. The core legal question was whether the petitioner was entitled to post-arrest bail on the grounds of old age, infirmity, and further inquiry, despite prompt lodging of the F.I.R., corroborative medical and chemical examiner reports, and advanced stage of the trial. The Lahore High Court dismissed the bail petition, holding that sufficient evidence prima facie connected the petitioner to the grave crime and that he was not entitled to bail merely due to old age when facing allegations of sexual assault against a minor.

Questions settled in this judgment
  • Whether an accused charged with Zina-bil-Jabar with a minor is entitled to post-arrest bail solely on the ground of old age?
  • Does the presence of a fresh torn hymen and semen-stained vaginal swabs constitute sufficient prima facie evidence to decline bail?
  • Can a bail petition be dismissed when the challan has been submitted, charge framed, and trial is at an advanced stage?
Laws & provisions referred
  • Section 497, Code of Criminal Procedure 1898
  • Section 10, Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance 1979
  • Section 173, Code of Criminal Procedure 1898
post-arrest bailZina-bil-JabarOffence of Zina Ordinanceold age bailfurther inquirycriminal trial

ORDER

' IJAZ AHMAD CHAUDHRY, J.--- Through this application under section 497, Cr.P.C. Muhammad Raman (petitioner) seeks post-arrest bail in case F.I.R. No.139 of 2005, dated 11-5-2005, registered under section 10 Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance VII of 1979 at Police Station Narang Mandi, District Sheikhupura on the statement of Muhammad Abbas, the complainant.

2. The brief allegation against the petitioner as alleged in the F.I.R. Is that on 12-5-2005 at about 1- 00 p.m. He had committed Zina-bil-Jabar with Asia Bibi aged about 8 years (daughter of the complainant).

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner has contended that the petitioner is about 80 years of age, who is also infirm person and case falls within the ambit of first proviso to section 497, Cr.P.C. That the petitioner was arrested on 21-5-2005 and since then there is no progress in the trial that in case the petitioner is granted bail, he will be in a better position to defend his case properly; that if the witnesses had seen him while committing Zina-bil-Jabar then why he was not arrested by them at the spot, which shows that the story of F.I.R. Is concocted one; that the case of the petitioner is of further inquiry as he has been falsely implicated in the Present case with mala fide intention to get the costly land of the petitioner; which is near to the Motorway; that though the challan has been submitted in the Court yet there is no likelihood of conclusion of the trial in the near future, in support of his contention, he has relied upon "PLD 2004 SC 477", "2006 YLR 99", and "PLD 2005 Karachi 25".

4. The - learned counsel for the complainant has opposed this bail petition on the ground that the charge has been framed in this case, the statement of the victim has also been recorded by the learned trial Court and now the case is fixed for recording of prosecution evidence for 17-6-2006; that the F.I.R. Had been got lodged with promptitude and there is sufficient material on the record to prima facie connect him with the commission of crime.

5. I have heard the arguments advanced by learned counsel for the parties and perused the record with due care and caution.

6. The occurrence allegedly had taken place at 1-00 p.m. On 11-5-2005, the victim was medically examined at 5-00 p.m. And F.I.R. Had been got lodged on the same day at 6-05 p.m. By the father of the victim Ms. Asia Bibi, who is about 8 years. According to the copy of the M.L.R. Attached with this petition, hymen was torn fresh. The doctor also observed that bleeding was oozing from the private part of the victim and three vaginal swabs were taken, which were sent to the office of Chemical Examiner and according to its report, the same were found stained with semen. Similarly, the petitioner was also medically examined by the doctor and found capable to perform the intercourse at ' this age. In such circumstances, I find that sufficient evidence has been collected by the prosecution against the petitioner to prima facie connect him with the commission of crime.

The learned counsel for the petitioner has failed to show any reasonable explanation for false implication of the present petitioner in the present case. Report under section 173, Cr.P.C. Has already been submitted in the Court, the charge has been framed and statement of the victim has also been recorded. Now the -case is fixed for recording the remaining prosecution evidence. The case-law cited by the learned counsel for the petitioner is not applicable to the present case. The petitioner is guilty of committing sexual intercourse with a minor girl and is not entitled to the concession of bail merely because of old-age.

' In view of above discussion, the instant bail petition being devoid of any force is hereby dismissed.

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