KARACHI, June 12: An exorcist, whose acquittal in a double-murder case was challenged by the victims’ relative, was granted bail on Tuesday by a division bench of the Sindh High Court.

The bench comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Faisal Arab gave Malik Tanveer alias Tanveer Zulfi bail in the sum of Rs200,000 as the bench converted an application for the withdrawal of a non-bailable warrant against him into his bail application.

Earlier on May 8, the SHC had issued the NBW for Zulfi’s arrest through the district police officer of Chakwal on an appeal filed by Irfan Abbas, the youngest son of the victim woman, against the acquittal of the accused.

On July 18, 2005 the exorcist was acquitted by the district and sessions judge, East, of the charges of slaughtering an elderly woman and her 38-year-old son.

The young exorcist, represented by advocate Shahadat Awan, was prosecuted for the murder of Kaneez Fatima, 60, sister of renowned orthopaedic surgeon Mohammad Ali Shah, and her son, Rizwan Abbas, in the victims’ flat in Gulistan-i-Jauhar on June 20, 2000.

Irfan Abbas, who was also the complainant in the case, alleged that the accused faith-healer had relationship with his family as he was a friend of his elder brother, Rizwan.

According to him, his brother was under stress after he was cheated out of his plot of land. He stated that Rizwan was under stress also because of his strained relationship with his wife and had shared his ordeal with the exorcist.

The complainant alleged that the accused had assured his brother and other family members of bringing everything back to normality. He said the faith healer claimed that he would arrange five plots in lieu of the lost one, through his so-called spiritual powers.

According to the complainant, a day before the incident, the accused gave his brother a briefcase, warning him not to open it. He said the accused also instructed the family that he would perform his wizardry only in the presence of his mother and his elder brother.

Irfan Abbas, who also appeared as the prime witness for the prosecution, stated that the accused went into their flat as he stood in front of the apartment building. He said he and his sister went to their flat when Tanveer Zulfi did not come out for a long time. He said they found their mother and brother trussed up and slaughtered with the valuables missing in the flat.

However, the accused took the plea of alibi in the court and stated that he was at his hometown, Chakwal, to attend the engagement ceremony of his younger brother.

ASIs BAILED: Justice Muneeb Ahmed Khan of the Sindh High Court granted on Tuesday bail to two police officials in a robbery case.

The judge gave Rizwan Siddiqui and Iqtidar Butt, both assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), bail in the sum of Rs200,000 each.

The two officials were arrested four months ago after a woman lodged a case on February 1, 2007 against them for robbing her and her husband of cash, a cellular phone and jewellery.

Shazia Azeem, wife of Mohammed Azeem Qureshi, alleged that ASI Butt of the Sharea Faisal police raided her Gulshan-i-Iqbal house on October 20, 2006

According to her, the police officer, who was in plainclothes, took away her husband after showing them non-bailable warrants issued for his arrest by a banking court in a credit card loan default case.

Mrs Azeem alleged that ASI Siddiqui, who was the duty officer, misbehaved with her when she along with her mother arrived at the police station. She also alleged that the police officials snatched her gold bracelet and her mother’s two gold bangles. She alleged that the police officials tortured her husband, snatched his mobile phone, and demanded the defaulted amount of Rs150,000.

Khawaja Naveed, counsel for the police officials, contended before the SHC that the FIR was registered with an inordinate delay of four months. Besides, he argued, the complainant had mentioned a Nokia phone set in her application for return of personal property before the banking court whereas she had alleged in the FIR that her bracelet and her mother’s bangles had also been snatched by the police.

The defense counsel prayed to the court to order the release of the applicants on bail as the case against them required further inquiry.