LAHORE, Aug 29: A special judge (central) on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to former principal secretary and ex-staff officer to Punjab chief minister involved in case of issuing false intelligence report about a murder plot against LHC former chief justice Khwaja Sharif.

The court granted bail to CM’s former principal secretary Tauqir Shah and his ex-staff officer Talha BurKi till Sept 7 subject to furnishing bail bonds.

The FIA had registered an FIR against the both officers and others, accusing them of hatching a conspiracy through issuance of a false intelligence report about Khwaja Sharif’s murder plot in a bid to create differences among the federal and provincial governments and the judiciary.

The accused, through their counsel, pleaded they had no role in the alleged conspiracy. They said the FIA implicated them in the case on political grounds. They said they wanted to join investigation to prove their innocence and to disclose the facts.

They prayed that pre-arrest bails should be granted to them and the FIA be restrained from arresting them.

Other accused in the case included then Special Branch Punjab chief Col (retired) Ehsanur Rehman, then director Shahid Mahmood and two personnel — Muhammad Azam and Ijaz Ahmad.

BAIL: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted bail to a tea stall owner arrested on charges of gas theft.

Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) had got a case registered against Yaqoob with Baghbanpura police. The accused filed a bail petition and submitted that he failed to pay his bill by due date and an SNGPL team raided his shop and arrested him on charges of gas theft.

During the course of hearing, the court remarked that gas theft was not possible without the connivance of SNGPL officials. The court said the authority took action against gas thieves, but never taken its officials to task involved in theft.

The court granted bail to the accused subject to furnishing of a bail bond of Rs50,000. —Staff Reporter