Pakistan Case Law
2007 YLR 921

OMED ALI and another vs THE STATE

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Citation2007 YLR 921
CourtSindh High Court
Case No.Criminal Bail Application No, 353 of 2006
Date2007-01-03
Judge(s)Munib Ahmed Khan
ResultBail granted
AI Summary — generated from this judgment; read the full text below and verify before relying on it.

This matter arises from a bail application filed by the applicants seeking pre-trial release in Crime No. 7 of 2006 registered under sections 302 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 at a police station, concerning the alleged murder of Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh. The core legal question was whether the applicants were entitled to post-arrest bail when they were not named in the First Information Report, other co-accused specifically named had been placed in column No. 2 of the challan, and the State raised no objection. The Sindh High Court held that the applicants were entitled to the concession of bail as reasonable doubt existed regarding their participation in the crime. The court laid down the principle that where an accused is not named in the FIR, co-accused named therein are exonerated by the police, and no incriminating evidence directly links the accused to the offence, they ought not to be deprived of the benefit of bail.

Questions settled in this judgment
  • Whether an accused not named in the First Information Report is entitled to bail when co-accused named therein are placed in column No. 2?
  • Does the absence of the applicant's name in the eyewitness statements and FIR create a reasonable doubt warranting the grant of bail?
  • Can a court direct the issuance of notice to persons placed in column No. 2 of the challan as to why they should not be prosecuted?
Laws & provisions referred
  • Section 302, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
  • Section 149, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
post-arrest bailmurderunnamed accusedbenefit of reasonable doubtpolice challan

ORDER

1. ' MUNIB AHMED KHAN, J.- Learned counsel submitted that in Crime No,7 of 2006, registered under sections 302 and 149, P.P.C. The allegation has been levelled against police officials that they have caused murder of Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh. He submit that both the applicants were not involved in the offence nor they have been named in the F.I.R. And notwithstanding the fact that the complainant has specifically mentioned names of some persons, all police officials, but names of applicants does not find mention. He has further submitted that even the persons named in the F.I.R. i.e, S.I.P. Mukhtiar Ahmed, S.I.P., Jamaluddin Jamali, H.C. Sabir Hussain and P.C. Nabi Dad have been let off by the police and they have not been sent for prosecution as their names have been mentioned in Column No,2. The learned counsel further submit that the witnesses Habibullah and Muhammad Azim, who have been shown witnesses to the incident, have also not -named the applicants as . Accused. Learned counsel has relied upon case of Syed Amanullah Shah (PLD 1996 Supreme Court ' 241), which is as follows:- ' "Whenever reasonable doubt arises with regard to the participation of an accused person in the crime or about the truth or probability of the prosecution case and the evidence proposed to be produced in support of the charge, the accused should not be deprived of benefit of bail and in such-a situation it would be better to keep him on bail than in the jail during the trial. "

2. The learned State counsel on the basis of above factual position has no objection to the grant of bail. In the circumstances when the applicants have not been named in the F.I.R., while specific names have been mentioned by the complainant, are entitled to bail. The learned Additional Sessions Judge, Jacobabad, has narrated the cause of death and the injuries while rejecting the bail application but he has not looked on the factual position in respect to the allegation against the accused persons. On the other hand the learned Additional Sessions Judge has not taken notice of the fact that four persons who have been named in the F.I.R. And have not been sent for prosecution would have also been issued a notice as their involvement in the case is alleged by the complainant. In. The circumstances I direct Sessions Judge to issue notice to all the above four persons who have been placed in Column No,2 of the challan as to why they should not be prosecuted along with the accused, while the applicants Umed Ali and Abdul Latif are granted bail in the sum of Rs, 1,00,000 each and P.R. Bond in the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court.

Cited by 3 cases

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