KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday granted bail to a former superintendent of central prison in a case pertaining to recovery of illegal items from the detention facility.

The former jail superintendent, Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh, through his lawyer moved the bail application. The counsel contended that the applicant had committed no offence, but was framed in two other cases after he obtained bail in the main case.

He also relied upon the rule of consistency since the other suspects of the case were released on bail.

However, a prosecutor argued that sufficient evidence was available against the applicant, adding that the Rangers and the Counter-Terrorism Depar­tment had recovered illegal items from the jail.

The investigating officer of the case was also present during the hearing and contended that the applicant as well as the prison administration had not been cooperating in the investigation of the cases.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro granted bail against the surety bond of Rs1 million.

The court came down heavily on the IO and observed that he did not fulfil the legal formalities during the investigation and deplored that the memo of recovery was made after three months.

Initially, the then superintendent Ghulam Murtaza, deputy superintendent Fahim Anwar and assistant superintendent Abdul Rehman along with 11 other jail officials were booked and arrested for their alleged negligence in the June 13, 2017 escape of two suspected militants from the prison.

However, the three former senior officials were released on bail in July.

Thereafter, the CTD, which was tasked with the investigation of jailbreak case, registered a second case against the then jail officials after the recovery of heroin, anti-jamming devices and mobile phones during a search operation conducted by the Rangers inside the detention facility after the jailbreak.

Moreover, the CTD also booked the jail officials in yet another case for allegedly obstructing the investigation of the main case by influencing the witnesses.

Bail dismissed

Another bench of the SHC dismissed on Friday a bail application of an accused in a case pertaining to an attack at a Rangers checkpoint.

Syed Ahmed Hussain Salman, alias SP; Obaidullah Siddiqui, alias Habib Kala and Kamran Siddiqui, said to be political activists, have been charged with hurling a cracker at a Rangers checkpoint in Korangi Crossing in March 2016 that left two paramilitary soldiers injured.

Salman through his lawyer moved the bail application and after hearing both sides, the bench dismissed the bail plea.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2018