HYDERABAD, Jan 25: The state counsel on Tuesday sought time to from the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, during suo motu proceedings in revision of criminal bail applications of senior officials of the Hyderabad Development Authority and the irrigation and health departments in the water contamination case.

The case is related to the deaths of several people due to consumption of contaminated water in Hyderabad city last year. The state counsel, Abdul Rasheed Qureshi, said that certain papers were to be obtained from the lower court and added that the sixth additional district judge had granted bail to the accused without determining their malafide in the case.

Former director-general of the HDA Ali Ahmed Lund, former EDO (health) Dr Agha Tariq and former chief engineer of Sukkur Barrage Ghulam Nabi Mughal attended the court with their counsels Yousuf Leghari and Liaquat Abbasi.

They were granted pre-arrest bail in the water contamination case lodged at the Market police station one June 4, 2004, under the directive of the Sindh chief secretary.

Justice Azizullah M. Memon has taken suo motu notice of the grant of bail to determine whether it is based on sound principles of law and whether the order needs to be interfered with by the high court in exercise of its inherent powers and to what extent. The matter has been adjourned to February 22.