KARACHI, Sept 17: A sessions court on Saturday granted bail to the chief of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz in two cases of possessing illicit weapons.
The JSQM chief, Bashir Qureshi, and his aide, Badruddin, filed their bail applications before Additional District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Munawar Sultana. They were sent to prison for 14 days by a judicial magistrate on Friday.The court heard arguments from both sides and allowed the plea.The court granted bail to the JSQM chief in two cases against a surety bond of Rs100,000 each.
The other applicant was also enlarged on bail against the surety of Rs100,000.
A panel of four lawyers represented the applicants in court and argued that Section 103 (search to be made in presence of witnesses occupant of place searched may attend) of the criminal procedure code was violated as no independent witness was taken at the time of the arrest and the recovery.
They contended that all the weapons found in the possession of the applicants were legal and the licences and permits of the weapons in question had already been produced before a judicial magistrate and they were handed over to the police for verification.
The lawyers prayed to the court to allow the bail applications.
However, the public prosecutor opposed the pleas and argued that it was a case of further inquiry as a report about the authenticity of the licences and permits produced by the applicants was awaited.
A JSQM activist submitted the documents of a vehicle for the purpose of surety and the judge ordered its verification.
However, the applicants' counsel submitted an undertaking in court that the documents for the surety were genuine and they would produce the applicants in court if the same was found fake.
The court issued their release order directing the jail authorities to release the suspects if not wanted in any other case.
Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, had detained the JSQM chief along with his two aides — Shiraz Ahmed Subhani and Badruddin — on Sept 15 near his Gulshan-i-Hadeed residence and the following day a judicial magistrate sent Mr Qureshi and Mr Badr to prison on 14-day judicial remand. Their third associate, Shiraz, was released the same day on a personal bond.
According to the prosecution, the JSQM chief along with his two aides were taken into custody during snap checking near his house by the paramilitary soldiers, who allegedly found illicit weapons in their possession. Later, weapons were also recovered from the residence of the nationalist leader, it added.
Two cases (FIR Nos.256/11 & 258/11) were registered against Bashir Qureshi under Sections 13-D and 13-E of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965 at the Steel Town police station.
The police also lodged two FIRs (255/11 & 257/11) against Shiraz and Badr under Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance.
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