ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed bail application of Aftabul Islam Raja, former joint secretary ministry of religious affairs, an accused in Haj corruption case.

The accused on January 30 had approached the court for getting relief under the amendment in the section 497 of code of criminal procedure (CrPc) under which an accused would be entitled for release on bail if he had remained for one year in prison and his trial was delayed.

Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi resumed hearing of the case. While rejecting the bail plea, he directed the trial court to expedite the case.

Chaudhry Ahmed Khan Gondal, Raja's lawyer, told the court that his client was behind bars for over a year whereas the prosecution agency i.e. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was deliberately delaying the matter.

He said on each date of hearing his client was regularly appearing in the court but the matter could not proceed further because the other accused were absent.

It was the duty of the prosecution agency to produce all the accused in the court for timely disposal of the matter, he added.

Deputy attorney general Qazi Rafiuddin Babar said the case was of very heinous nature and there was strong evidence against the applicant.

The court also observed that the trial court had issued show-cause notices to the authorities of central jail Lahore to produce Rao Shakeel whereas he had also sought adjournment from the court to engage a lawyer. - A Reporter