Court grants bail to DJ Butt in loudspeaker ban violation case

Published August 24, 2015
The court directed DJ Butt to appear before it again on September 3. —Irfan Haider
The court directed DJ Butt to appear before it again on September 3. —Irfan Haider

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday granted bail to DJ Butt, who managed the sound systems during Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) 126-day sit-ins last year, after hearing a case related to the violation of a capital administration ban on the use of loudspeakers.

DJ Butt appeared before the court of Assistant Commissioner (AC) Islamabad Waqas Rasheed after non-bailable warrants were issued for his arrest on Friday.

AC Waqas Rasheed heard a case against DJ Butt relating to the violation of Section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) and the Amplifier Act which he was accused of committing during PTI's sit-ins last year.

Upon hearing the music guru's stance, the court granted bail to DJ Butt until September 3 and directed him to furnish a security bond worth Rs100,000 for his release.

DJ Butt was also ordered to appear before the court for the next hearing of the case which was adjourned until September 3.

PTI's veteran music guru was also arrested earlier in September 2014 during the party's sit-in in Islamabad in relation with the same case.

Read: DJ Butt behind bars, but the show must go on

Inspector General Tahir Alam Khan had told Dawn at the time,“(DJ Butt) was arrested for violation of Section 144 (entitled: ‘Power to issue order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger’),” in connection with a case registered at the Secretariat police station under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), entitled ‘Disobedience to order, duly promulgated by public servant’.

He was subsequently released on orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Also read: IHC grants bail to 650 people held for violating Section 144

Section 144 had been imposed in the city at that time, which bars the use of loudspeakers and political gatherings.

The inspector general said DJ Butt had been asked to keep the volume down so that sound does not carry to nearby sectors.

However, DJ Butt’s sound system could be heard as far as sector F-6 and F-7, he said at the time.

Muhammad Asif, popularly known as DJ Butt, had been a prominent feature at PTI rallies and major party events. But the disc jockey soared to fame for his music and stage lighting during the PTI's months-long sit-in in Islamabad last year.

Earlier in July, Butt had found himself in a row against his party over non-payment of his services during its sit-ins last year in the capital.

Last week, DJ Butt after a meeting with PTI officials, agreed to a full and final settlement of all unpaid dues at Rs2.5 million.

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