HYDERABAD, April 23: The Seventh Additional District Judge, Syed Qurban Ali Shah Lakhyari, on Tuesday granted interim pre-arrest bail for a sum of Rs200,000 to under suspension superintendent, Central Jail, Malik Altaf Awan, in the custodial death case of Mehmood Khoso, an under-trial prisoner.

Advocate Hidayatullah Abbasi represented the superintendent who was escorted by three personnel of the Frontier Constabulary. His co-accused, Aurangzeb Kango, also accompanied him in a private car.

The bail application was filed before the District Judge, Hyderabad, who transferred it to the Seventh Additional District Judge for hearing.

Advocate Ayaz Latif Palejo also appeared before the judge to represent the complainant party in the case, saying he was pursuing the case since day one and it was on his constitutional petition on which the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, had ordered the registration of the FIR.

The defence counsel, however, objected to it saying that unless notice was issued to the state counsel or the complainant the counsel could not appear before the court.

It may be recalled that UTP Mehmood Khoso had died in judicial custody on March 15 amidst charges by his cousins that he was tortured to death by Hyder, Kango and Sehto.

Meanwhile, proceedings of the judicial inquiry into the custodial death of Khoso were adjourned for a day as the district judge was busy with some referendum-related work.

BURN INJURIES: A girl, Zeenat, suffered serious burn injuries in Khanzada Colony, Kotri, on Monday night under mysterious circumstances. She has been admitted to the burns ward of the Civil Hospital.