ABDUR RAZAQ vs RAB NAWAZ and another
This criminal petition seeks the annulment of an order passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Karak at Takht-e-Nasrati, whereby post-arrest bail was granted to the accused-respondent in a case registered under Section 324/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860. The core legal question was whether post-arrest bail was rightly granted to an accused charged with firing an effective shot resulting in a fracture to the complainant's mandible, particularly in the presence of a cross-case. The Peshawar High Court held that the order granting bail was perverse and unsustainable, as the accused was prima facie saddled with the responsibility of attempting the life of the complainant by aiming at a vital body part, and a cross-case does not constitute a rule of universal application for granting further inquiry. The court laid down the principle that the existence of a cross-case does not automatically make out a case for further inquiry when direct, specific attribution of a firearm injury to a vital part of the body is present at the bail stage.
- Whether post-arrest bail can be granted to an accused charged with firing at a vital part of the body resulting in grievous injury?
- Does the registration of a cross-case automatically make out a case for further inquiry under Section 497(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure?
- When can an appellate or revisional court recall bail granted by a lower court?
- Section 324, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
- Section 34, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
' EJAZ AFZAL KHAN, J.--- Petitioner through the instant petition seeks annulment of the order dated 27-4-2009 of the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Karak at Takht-e-Nasrati whereby he granted post arrest bail to the accused-respondent Rab Nawaz in a case registered against him and two others under section 324/34, P.P.C. Vide case F.I.R. No,33 dated 21-2-2009 in Police Station Takht-e- Nasrati District Karak.
2. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner contended that when accused- respondent has been charged for firing effective shot on the complainant resulting in the fracture of maundible, it was not a case for bail and that the order granting bail for being perverse, capricious, arbitrary and whimsical cannot be sustained.
3. As against that the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the accused-respondent contended that in view of the cross case registered against the petitioner at the instance of the accused party, a case for further inquiry is made out and that the impugned order being based on proper appraisal of data on the record merits no interference.
4. I have gone through the available record carefully and considered the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties.
5. According to the data available on the record the accused-respondent has been charged for firing a shot on the complainant resulting in as many as five pellet injuries out of which one resulted in the fracture of his mandible. Intention to kill is not open to any doubt at least at this stage when vital part of body appears to have been aimed at. How a case for further inquiry could be made out when the petitioner is, prima facie, saddled with the responsibility of attempting at the life of the complainant. Grant of bail in the circumstances of the case would A hardly be called for, even on the basis of a cross case which is not a rule of universal application.
6. For the reasons discussed above, this petition is allowed and the bail granted to the accused- respondent is recalled. He be taken into custody. However, the learned trial Court is directed to conclude his case within a period of two months positively, failing which the petitioner may, if so advised, repeat his petition for