KARACHI: A judicial magistrate granted bail to anchorperson Iqrarul Hassan, his lawyer, Advocate Ahmad Masood, confirmed to Dawn on Saturday.

The anchorperson was arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in a case registered in Karachi for allegedly disseminating anti-state, false and defamatory content through his official social media accounts. He was booked under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

Hassan, who was in judicial custody, was granted bail on Saturday against surety bonds of Rs200,000 by East Judicial Magistrate Gulraiz Memon, Advocate Masood said.

“The challan has been submitted to the court, and his electronic devices have been taken into possession by the authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, during the hearing, the NCCIA told the court that no further investigation involving Hassan was required, but it was awaiting a forensic report.

On October 22, the same judicial magistrate rejected a bail plea filed by Hassan, prompting the defence to challenge the rejection in a sessions court.

During the October 22 hearing, the NCCIA submitted its remand report, saying the investigation had progressed but several important aspects remained to be examined in light of the forensic analysis of Hassan’s seized digital devices and records from other departments, including the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

In a verdict issued by the local court, the court held that it did not find any merit in the bail application and dismissed the same accordingly.

“However, the counsel for the applicant/accused may move a bail application before the trial court, as the challan/charge sheet has been submitted before the learned trial court subsequent to the dismissal of the applicant’s earlier bail application by the said court, said the Sessions Court, providing the grounds for the trial court to approve the bail following the submission of the challan.

On October 19, the judicial magistrate sent the anchorperson to prison on an eight-day judicial remand until October 26.

On October 17, Hassan was produced before Judicial Magistrate Memon upon the completion of his initial four-day physical remand. The NCCIA had sought a further 10 days of custody for questioning, but the magistrate rejected the request and granted the agency two more days.