August 26, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-us-Sani 27, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Aug 25: The Peshawar High Court on Monday granted bail to four people accused of belonging to an inter-provincial gang of vehicle snatchers.

Judge Justice Tariq Pervaiz ordered the release of the applicants on bail after the payment of two sureties of Rs300,000 each.

The applicants — Ijaz, Gul Hayat and Khalid Hayat of district Mardan, and Qayyum of FR Kohat — were arrested by the Crimes Investigation Department (CID), Peshawar, on June 26 on charges of snatching a Nissan truck of Taxila (Punjab).

Their bail application was earlier turned down by an additional district and sessions judge.

Advocate Asthagfirullah appeared for the applicants and argued that the identification parade of the accused was not held and there was no proof that the snatched truck was seized by the accused. He argued that the said truck was not recovered from them and, in fact, it was recovered by the Kasadars in Dara Adamkhel.

He said that the owner of the truck, Mohammad Hussain, claimed of giving Rs200,000 in advance to the four applicants for arranging the return of the said truck. However, he said, no proof had been put forward in that connection. He further said that nothing had been mentioned in whose presence and where the said money had been given.

The owner of the truck claimed that it was snatched from the driver, Muhammad Farooq, at gunpoint on June 20.

The owner claimed that three accused from Mardan had acted as a go-between for the recovery of the truck and struck a deal guaranteeing payment of Rs400,000 for the return of the truck.

The owner further claimed that he had paid Rs200,000 in advance to the accused and the remaining amount was to be paid at Baghe Naran on June 26.