ZAR MUHAMMAD vs Mian JAFAR SHAH and another
This petition for leave to appeal challenged a Peshawar High Court judgment that granted post-arrest bail to the respondent, Mian Jafar Shah, who was charged under sections 302/324/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 for murder and attempted murder. The core legal question was whether the respondent's medical condition justified the grant of bail under the proviso to section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898. The Supreme Court reviewed the medical evidence, including a report from a constituted Medical Board confirming the respondent's cardiac condition and HCV+ status. The Court held that the High Court’s decision was based on valid and sound reasoning, finding that the gravity of the respondent's sickness constituted a legitimate basis for bail. Consequently, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition and refused leave to appeal. The key principle laid down is that where a medical condition is sufficiently grave, it provides a valid ground for the exercise of judicial discretion to grant bail under the proviso to section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, provided the medical evidence supports the necessity of treatment not readily available in jail.
- Does a serious medical condition constitute a valid ground for the grant of bail under the proviso to section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898?
- Can the Supreme Court interfere with a High Court's grant of bail if the reasoning is based on valid medical evidence?
- Article 185(3), Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973
- Section 302, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
- Section 324, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
- Section 34, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
- Section 497, Code of Criminal Procedure 1898
' IJAZ-UL-HASSAN KHAN, J.---Through instant petition under Article 185(3) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, Zar Muhammad, petitioner, seeks leave to appeal from a judgment of the Peshawar High Court, Peshawar dated"15-2-2008, granting bail to Mian Jafar Shah, respondent No, 1, in case F.I.R. No,620 dated 9-9-2007 registered under sections 302/324/34, P.P.C.
At Police Station Nowshera Kalan.
' Facts of the case have been incorporated in detail in the impugned judgment as well as in the memo of petition and need not be reiterated. Suffice is to state that the respondent along with other co-accused was charged for having on 9-9-2007 at 7-30 hours committed murder of Parvez Khan (deceased) and attempted murder of petitioner. The respondent moved an application before learned Judicial Magistrate, Nowshera to secure his release on bail and on its refusal vide order dated 28-9-2007, approached learned Additional. Sessions Judge, Nowshera for similar relief but his request was turned down vide order dated 23-102007. Feeling aggrieved, respondent, preferred Criminal Misc. Before .Learned High Court, which has been allowed on 'medical ground' granting bail to respondent through the judgment impugned herein.
3. Mr.M. Zahoor Qureshi, Advocate-on-Record for the petitioner, in support of the petition contended that overwhelming evidence was available on record to prove complicity of the respondent in the commission of crime and that respondent is suffering from common disease which can conveniently be treated in jail hospital and does not appear to be life threatening. To substantiate the contentions, reliance was placed on Muhammad Arshad v. The State and another 1997 SCM R 1275 and Raza Mohsin Qazilbash v Muhammad Usman Malik and others 1999 SCM R 1794
4. A Medical Board was constituted under the order of learned High Court to ascertain as to whether or not the respondent was suffering from serious heart disease needing proper treatment not available in the jail hospital. The Board consisting of four eminent doctors, submitted the report which reads;-- "Result received according to which he is known cardiology case with HCV+ve and will need management."
5. Having considered the matter from all angles, and the medical report, we find that learned High Court has reached the conclusion with valid and sound reasonings which are not open to legitimate exception. The gravity of respondent's sickness constitutes legitimate basis for his entitlement to bail under the proviso to section 497, Cr.P.C. Learned counsel for the petitioner, despite his best efforts, could not point out any infirmity, legal or factual, in the impugned judgment justify interference by this Court. Haji Mir Aftab v. The State 1979 SCM R 320; Abdul Aziz v. Bashir Ahmed and the State PLD 1966 SC 658 and Muhammad Bashir v. The State 1991 PCr.LJ 2422.
6. In the circumstances, we find no merit in this petition, which is dismissed and leave refused.