HYDERABAD, May 27: Peasants, led by Mannu Bheel demonstrated outside the press club on Tuesday against expected release of co-accused in his case — if granted bail by court.

Mannu Bheel’s entire family disappeared, reportedly kidnapped by henchmen of a landlord in 1998.

Protesters carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans for the release of Manu Bheel’s family members.

They urged the government to ensure release of his family and provide the peasant a lawyer at government’s expense to represent him in court.

Prime accused of the case, Abdul Rehman Mari should not be granted bail until hostages were freed, they said.

Shabbir Kaimkhani one of the three co-accused arrested by Sanghar police during investigation had been granted bail by court while applications of others Azeem Khaskheli and Juma Machi were to be heard, said Mannu Bheel.

“Azeem Khaskheli was the driver of Abdul Rehman Mari in which my family members were kidnapped in 1998”, Mannu Bheel told Dawn. He said Juma Machi had on record stated before a court in 2004 that he had kept seven hostages with him.

“I possess a copy of Juma Machi’s statement which was given before the court”, he said. He appealed to court not to grant bail to two accused.

Hostages kidnapped at gunpoint on May 2, 1998 in Jhuddo included Kheera Bheel (Manu’s father), Akho (mother), Jala (brother), Mota (wife), Momal and Dheli (daughters), Chamman and Kanji (sons) and Kirta (guest).

Henchmen of Rehman Mari were alleged to have taken them away in a vehicle as they were working on lands of Waryam Memon.

Jhuddo police lodged a case on complaint of his relative, Ms Dharmi.

Deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry took suo motu notice of his case and under apex court’s directives the additional advocate-general (AAG) Sindh had sought cancellation of bail of prime accused which was accordingly rejected by Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench.

Manu Bheel was however in his usual spirit to pursue the case come what may.

He said he had nothing to worry because the only thing which mattered to him was the recovery of his family members whom he had not seen over the last one decade.