ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH, KARACHI
 
Crl. Bail Application No.148 of 2013

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Date              Order with signature of Judge

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DATE OF HEARING 16.07.2013

 

Mr. Naheed Afzal Khan Advocate for the Applicant.

 

Mr. Arbab Ahmed Khan Khel Advocate for the complainant.

 

Mr. S. Zahoor Shah APG.

 

 

Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi J;     Applicant/accused has approached to this court after rejection of her Bail Application No.1109/2012 by the IVth Additional Sessions Judge, Karachi-West. Certified copy of the order is enclosed as Annexure “C” with the memo of Bail Application.

 

          The brief facts as narrated in the FIR are that accused persons committed murder of brother of the complainant Abdul Rahim by firing upon him.

 

          Learned Counsel for the Applicant submitted that the Applicant/accused is a lady having three minor children, she is innocent and has been falsely implicated by the complainant in collusion with police in the present case. He submitted that no ocular or circumstantial evidence is available with prosecution against the Applicant but due to malafide on the part of the complainant the Applicant has been dragged into the present case. Learned Counsel further argued that the Applicant is admittedly widow of the deceased and mother of three children of the deceased out of them one is suckling baby. Learned Counsel for the applicant urged that the statement under section 164 Cr.P.C of the Applicant was recorded by the Ist Judicial Magistrate, Karachi-West on 25.08.2012 after eight days of the incident wherein the Applicant/accused did not remotely confess the guilt rather in her 164 Cr.P.C. statement the Applicant fully implicated one Ishtiaq with specific role in commission of crime. Learned Counsel for the Applicant further submitted that without appreciating the contents of statement of the Applicant recorded under section 164 Cr.P.C. before the Judicial Magistrate the Trial Court rejected the bail of the Applicant while placing reliance on that statement. Learned Counsel for the Applicant further submitted that earlier due to matrimonial dispute between the Applicant and her husband on 29.03.2012 an FIR No.162/2012 was registered at P.S. Saeedabad however, after recording of statement of the Applicant under section 164 Cr.P.C. report was submitted by the police under “C” class which was approved, thereafter about 6/7 months Applicant was residing with her deceased husband as his wife and on the day of incident applicant was present in the house of her husband, which is evident from the FIR. Learned Counsel for the Applicant further contended that in order to usurp the properties and business of the deceased husband of the Applicant, the complainant who is the brother of deceased and other relatives of deceased husband of the Applicant are trying to involve the Applicant with the intention to deprive her and her children the assets and properties left by the deceased.

 

Learned Counsel for the Complainant vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Applicant and argued that confessional statement of the Applicant was recorded before the Judicial Magistrate wherein she pleaded guilty. Learned Counsel has also filed a statement with certain documents, which mostly pertains to the earlier litigation initiated after registration of FIR No.162/2012 by the deceased husband of the applicant which was lodged on 29.03.2012. Learned Counsel for the Complainant further submitted that the Applicant had illicit relations with one Ishtiaq the absconding accused and the applicant has herself admitted in her statement under section 164 Cr.P.C. that on the night of incident said Ishtiaq had talked to the Applicant on telephone for about an hour. He contended that the Applicant is fully involved in commission of murder of her deceased husband.

 

Learned APG adopted the arguments advanced by the learned Counsel for the Applicant and vehemently opposed the grant of bail to the Applicant.

 

I have Mr. Naheed Afzal Khan Advocate for the Applicant, Mr. Arbab Ahmed Khan Advocate for complainant, Mr. S. Zahoor Shah learned APG and perused the material available on record with their assistance.

 

          On tentative assessment of the material available on record it transpired that it was the Applicant who had informed the mother of the complainant on telephone about the incident. It appears from the contents of the FIR that the complainant on the basis of suspicion implicated the present Applicant. On 25.08.2012 statement under section 164 Cr.P.C. of the Applicant was recorded before the Judicial Magistrate wherein the Applicant stated that when she opened the door on the day of incident, she saw that Rahim sustained bullet injuries and blood was oozing from his injuries and Ishtiaq and one unknown boy were present there, Ishtiaq was holding pistol in his hand when she saw them they both run away.

 

          On bare reading of the statement of the Applicant recorded under section 164 Cr.P.c. carefully, it transpired that there is no confession and admission of pleading the guilt by the applicant. The applicant has not stated in her statement under section 164 Cr.P.C. that she had killed her deceased husband or taken part in his murder in any manner.

 

In view of above facts and circumstances discussed above, I am of the opinion that prima facie no ocular or circumstantial material is available with the prosecution against the present Applicant. The Applicant/accused is behind the bars for about one year in the present case and the trial is still at initial stage. The case of the Applicant is of further inquiry and she is entitled for grant of bail at this stage.

 

          Above are the reasons of my short order dated 16.07.2013 whereby the Applicant was admitted to bail subject to furnishing solvent surety in the sum of Rs.200,000/- (Rupees Two Lac only) with P.R. Bond in the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Trial Court. The Trial Court was directed to conclude the trial within a period of four months from the date of receipt of the order. The Trial Court was also directed not to grant any unnecessary adjournment to either party.

 

          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 _________________