BAHAWALPUR, Dec 18: Maulana Masood Azhar of the banned Jaish-i-Muhammad was not released on Wednesday evening.

A Lahore High Courtreview board ordered hisrelease on Dec 17, but it seemed that the Punjab home department was defying the court orders.

Special police guards are still deployed outside Maulana Masood’s house in Kausar Colony.

Senior police officials are tightlipped over the issue.

Dawn learnt that there is a possibility of registration of a new case against the Maulana to justify his house arrest.

Insiders say a case regarding hijacking of a bus in 1999 might be registered against him.

However, the SHO concerned declined to talk to reporters on the issue.