PESHAWAR: A local court on Monday granted bail to former test cricketer Wajahatullah Wasti who was arrested a few days ago on charges of injuring his step-brother and dumping him at a deserted place.

The court of magistrate Mohammad Fayyaz Khan also accepted bail application of another suspect in the case, Akhter Sarfaraz, a local cricketer, stated to be relative of Mr Wasti. The court directed them to submit two sureties each of Rs100,000.

The complainant, Rahatullah, alleged that he was taken to Hayatabad Township in a car by the two suspects where they injured him by attacking him with knives. He alleged that he was left in injured condition at a deserted place and when he regained consciousness he approached the local police station and got an FIR registered there.

Both the applicants had filed pre-arrest bail applications which were turned down by an additional district and sessions judge on Oct 17, following which they applied for regular bail.

The applicants’ counsel contended that they were falsely implicated in the case as Mr Wasti was having some domestic dispute with the complainant. He contended that Mr Wasti was a known cricketer and there was no chance of his becoming absconder if he was granted bail.

He added that police’s initial inquiry had also exonerated the suspects.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014