IMRAN Versus State
This petition for post-arrest bail arises from a criminal case registered under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, involving an allegation of firearm injury. The core legal question was whether the petitioner was entitled to bail despite the existence of incriminating material and the application of the prohibitory clause of Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898. The Court observed that while there was an eighteen-day delay in the registration of the F.I.R., the delay was attributable to the police rather than the complainant, as the medical examination occurred promptly. The Court noted that the petitioner was the sole accused, directly nominated in the F.I.R., and implicated by the injured complainant and eye-witnesses. Furthermore, the recovery of the weapon of offence and the existence of a clear motive, coupled with the close familial relationship between the parties, rendered the plea of false implication implausible at this stage. Consequently, the Court held that reasonable grounds existed to believe the petitioner was guilty, and the petition for bail was dismissed.
- Does a delay in the registration of an F.I.R. automatically entitle an accused to bail if the delay is attributable to the police?
- Can bail be granted where the offence falls under the prohibitory clause of Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 and there is prima facie evidence of guilt?
- Is the recovery of a weapon of offence a relevant factor in determining the grant of post-arrest bail?
- Section 324, Pakistan Penal Code 1860
- Section 497, Code of Criminal Procedure 1898
ORDER
ASIF SAEED KHAN KHOSA, J.-- -Through this petition Imran, petitioner has sought post-arrest bail in case F.I.R. No.988 registered at Police Station, Jaranwala, District Faisalabad on 21-9-2005 in respect of an offence under section 324, P.P.C.
2. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties and going through the record it has been noticed by me that the F.I.R. in this case had been registered after eighteen days of the alleged occurrence but the reason for the delay had not only been explained in the F.I.R. itself but the same is also discernible from the attending circumstances of this case. A perusal of the Medico-legal Certificate issued in respect of the injured complainant shows that the injured complainant had been got medically examined by the local police itself on the very day of occurrence which shows that the matter had actually been reported by the complainant to the police with sufficient promptitude. In these circumstances the blame for delayed registration of the F.I.R. is to be laid at the door of the police and not at the door of the complainant. The petitioner stands duly nominated in the F.I.R. as the sole perpetrator of the alleged offence and a specific fire-arm injury on the right lower-leg of Khizar Hayat complainant stands attributed to him therein. It is not disputed that the eye-witnesses mentioned in the F.I.R., including the injured complainant, have so far stood by their statements made before the police fully implicating the petitioner in the alleged offence. The record of this case shows that the parties to this case are very closely related to each other inasmuch as the complainant is not only a maternal uncle of the present petitioner but the petitioner's sister is also married to the complainant's son. In view of such close relationship between the parties and in view of the fact that the petitioner is the solitary accused in this case false implication of the petitioner or a possibility of substitution of the petitioner for the real culprit are not readily believable at this stage. Prima facie, the medical evidence lends support to the allegation levelled against the petitioner in the F.I.R. The record of investigation shows that there was a background of strained family relations between the parties at the relevant time and the petitioner was directly connected with the motive. During the investigation the weapon of offence had been recovered from the petitioner's possession. After having become convinced of the petitioner's guilt the local police have already submitted a challan against him. An offence under section 324, P.P.C. attracts the prohibitory clause contained in subsection (1) of section 497, Cr.P.C.
3. For what has been discussed above prima facie reasonable grounds exist to believe in the petitioner's involvement in the alleged offence and this petition is, therefore, dismissed.
H.B.T./I-32/L ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Bail refused.