ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH, KARACHI
 
Crl. Bail Application No.242 of 2013

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Date              Order with signature of Judge

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DATE OF HEARING 18.07.2013

 

Mr. Muhammad Imran Butt Advocate for the Applicant.

 

Ms. Seema Zaidi APG.

 

 

Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi J;     Applicant/accused has approached to this court after rejection of his Bail Application by the Vth Additional Sessions Judge, Karachi-West in Bail Application No.1203/2012 on 12.10.2012.

 

          The brief facts of the case as narrated in the FIR are that on 11.08.2012 the accused persons on the point of weapons snatched mobile phones, cash and other articles from the complainant and his wife and fled away from the scene.

 

Learned Counsel for the Applicant contended that the Applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the case with malafide intention and ulterior motives by the police on the instigation of the complainant. He further contended that neither the name of the applicant, nor his hulia, features and description have been mentioned in the FIR as the FIR was lodged after the delay of about three hours against unknown persons. Even no specific role has been assigned to the Applicant, which makes the case of the applicant of further inquiry. Learned Counsel for the Applicant further contended that the identification parade of the Applicant was held on 29.08.2012 after eight days of his arrest and prosecution has failed to give any plausible explanation for such delay. According to learned Counsel the Applicant at the time of identification parade objected in clear words that he was shown to the complainant in police station, therefore, the identification parade becomes defective and could not be used against the applicant. He urged that there are material dents in the case of the prosecution, which makes the case of further inquiry, therefore the Applicant is entitled for grant of bail.

 

Learned APG vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Applicant and submitted that the FIR was lodged against unknown person but the description of the persons were described in the FIR and later on the complainant identified the Applicant during the course of identification parade.

 

I have heard Mr. Muhammad Imran Butt Advocate for the Applicant, Ms. Seema Zaidi APG and perused the material available on record with their assistance.

 

Admittedly present FIR was lodged after delay of about three hours against unknown persons and no specific role has been assigned to the Applicant. Identification parade of the Applicant was held after eight days of his arrest and after about eighteen days from the date of incident but no plausible explanation has been given for such delay by the prosecution and according to the learned Counsel for the Applicant, the Applicant was shown to the complainant in police station prior to holding identification parade and such objection was raised by the Applicant at the time of identification parade.

          In 2002 P.Cr.L.J. 349 (Ghulam Nabi versus the State), it was held that :-

“Delayed identification test both with reference to the date of occurrence and the date when the accused was taken into custody, was always looked upon with the maximum caution by the Courts of law”.

 

In view of above facts and circumstances, when there is delay in registration of FIR, so also in holding the identification parade and neither the name of the applicant nor his hullia has been mentioned in FIR, the case of the applicant becomes doubtful and it is settled principle that the benefit of doubt always go in favour of accused. 

 

          Above are the reasons of my short order dated 18.07.2013 whereby the Applicant was granted bail subject to furnishing solvent surety in the sum of Rs.100,000/- (Rupees One Lac only) with P.R. Bond in the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Trial Court.

 

          Observations made hereinabove are of tentative nature and the trial Court shall not be influenced by any such observation.

           

 

                                                                                                            J U D G E

Karachi

Dated _________________