MUHAMMAD AYOOB alias AYOOB vs THE STATE

This matter arises from a criminal bail application filed by Muhammad Ayoob alias Ayoob seeking pre-arrest bail in a criminal case before the Sindh High Court. The core legal question addressed is whether the rule of consistency in granting bail should be applied to an accused person whose case is similarly placed to twenty-three co-accused who have already been admitted to pre-arrest bail by the lower court. The court held that the applicant is entitled to bail on the basis of the rule of consistency, given that the Deputy Prosecutor General raised no objection and confirmed that the applicant's assigned role in the First Information Report is identical to that of the already-bailed co-accused. The key principle laid down is that an accused person is entitled to bail under the rule of consistency when similarly placed co-accused have already been granted bail and the prosecution does not oppose the same.