MURSLEEN alias KAKA vs THE STATE
This criminal miscellaneous petition seeks post-arrest bail for the petitioner, Mursleen alias Kaka, who was implicated in case F.I.R. No. 371 dated 21-10-2006 registered under Articles 3/4 of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979 at Police Station Burweala District Vehari for allegedly manufacturing indigenous liquor on the spot. The core legal question revolves around whether the accused is entitled to post-arrest bail when the offence does not fall within the prohibitory clause and the Chemical Examiner's report is still awaited. The Lahore High Court held that since the offences do not fall within the prohibitory clause, the Chemical Examiner's report has not been received, the petitioner has been incarcerated since 21-10-2006, and he is no longer required for investigation, further detention would serve no useful purpose. The petition was consequently allowed, granting post-arrest bail to the petitioner. The key principle laid down is that bail should not be withheld as a form of punishment, especially in cases where the alleged offence does not fall within the prohibitory clause and investigation is complete.
- Whether an accused is entitled to post-arrest bail when the alleged offence does not fall within the prohibitory clause?
- Can bail be granted when the report of the Chemical Examiner regarding the recovered material is still awaited?
- Is detention justified when the accused is no longer required for the purpose of investigation?
- Article 3, Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979
- Article 4, Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979
ORDER
' HASNAT AHMAD KHAN, J.---Through this criminal miscellaneous petition Mursleen alias Kaka has sought post-arrest bail in case F.I.R. No. 371, dated 21-10-2006 under Articles 3/4 of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979 registered with Police Station Burweala District Vehari.
2. Briefly the prosecution story is that the petitioner in the company of his co-accused was found manufacturing indigenous liquor. He was apprehended on the spot and distilled liquor and articles used during the process of manufacturing liquor were recovered from him.
3. In support of this petition the learned counsel for the petitioner has contended that offences allegedly committed by the petitioner do not fall within the prohibitory clause; that up till now the report of Chemical Examiner regarding the recovered material is awaited. He adds that petitioner is behind the bars since 21-10-2006 and it is settled law that bail cannot be withheld as a matter of punishment.
3A. The learned DPG has opposed the bail application on the ground that the petitioner was apprehended on the spot while manufacturing the liquor.
4. After hearing both the sides it has been observed that admittedly the report of Chemical Examiner regarding the material recovered from the possession of the petitioner, has not yet been received by the A prosecution. It has been further observed that the offences allegedly committed by the petitioner do not fall within the prohibitory clause. The Investigating Officer present in Court has candidly admitted that the petitioner was not previously involved in such like activities. The petitioner is behind the bars since 21-10-2006. He is no more required for the investigation. No useful purpose would be served by detaining him any further. Consequently by relying upon the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court reported as Tariq Bashir v. The State (PLD 1995 SC 34) this petition is allowed and the petitioner is admitted to post-arrest bail subject to his furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs.50,000 (rupees fifty thousand) with one surety in the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court.