29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Sept 28: A DSP from Faisalabad was taken into custody by police when the Lahore High Court dismissed on Tuesday an application for pre-arrest bail of his son involved in a double murder case.

DSP Syed Altaf Husain Gilani was taken into custody by the Rawalpindi police which registered a case against his son Qasim Gilani on the charge of killing two brothers, Irfan Iqbal and Nasir Iqbal, in Rawalpindi.

However, the high court sources said the accused was arrested by the Rawalpindi police and the DSP was allowed to go. The sources said accused Qasim Gilani surrendered to the Rawalpindi police after the two parties reached an understanding.

Qasim Gilani, who rode an ambulance because of his indisposition, came to the Lahore High Court seeking bail before arrest in a murder case which was registered in December, 2002. He allegedly committed the murder of two brothers in a family dispute and absconded.

Justice Khwaja Mohammad Sharif dismissed his request for bail before arrest and soon after he managed to make good his escape. When his father DSP Altaf Gilani in civilian dress, who was accompanied by a few police officials from Faisalabad in plain clothes, tried to escape, he was stopped at LHC's main gate by a party of the Rawalpindi police headed by SI Asghar Ali. Later, both the police parties had an altercation which almost developed into a scuffle. The Rawalpindi police, however, took the DSP into custody.

When the matter came to the knowledge of the high court administration, it sought the intervention of the counsel who had brokered peace between the parties. Later, an understanding was reached between the parties as a result of which accused Qasim Gilani was made to surrender and the DSP was let off.

Qasim Gilani had allegedly murdered the two brother on Dec 18, 2002 but escaped arrest by going into hiding. He was reportedly harboured by some police officials who helped the accused escape from the law.

However, his counsel made him surrender himself to the law. Qasim Gilani is said to be physically handicapped and reached the Lahore High Court for bail before arrest in an ambulance.