ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH AT KARACHI

Criminal Bail Application No.3026 of 2024

Criminal Bail Application No.2309 of 2024

DATE

ORDER WITH SIGNATUREs OF JUDGEs

 

For hearing of bail applications

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12.05.2025

           

            Mr. Abdul Jabbar Metlo, advocate for applicants

            Ms. Rubina Qadir, D.P.G.

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            Applicants Arsalan son of Allauddin Shaikh and Nabeel son of Sher Muhammad alias Shero Chachar seek post arrest bail in FIR No.997/2024 for offence under sections 392, 397, 34, PPC of P.S. Surjani Town, Karachi, after rejection of their bail plea by learned Additional Sessions Judge-XII, Karachi West vide order dated 10.12.2024.

 

2.         Facts involved in the instant case are that complainant Mazhar Hussain lodged aforesaid FIR on 14.08.2024, alleged therein that he is a driver and on 10.08.2024 he loaded 16 LPG cylinders in Suziki No.KR-8088 from Aash Company Hub Chowki and while travelling to Surjani Town, when he reached at Katcha Road, Sector 53, near Mashood Coach stand at 10:30 a.m., four persons arrived in Car No.BXX-826, duly armed with weapons, snatched his Suzuki with 16 LPG cylinders and one mobile phone and escaped away, hence the subject FIR.

 

3.         Learned counsel for applicant argued that there is delay of four days in lodging of FIR without any plausible explanation; recovered Suzuki car has been foisted upon applicants in order to strengthen the case; that during investigation, statement of complainant was recorded under Section 164, Cr.PC and complainant has implicated the applicants on the basis of statement of one Arif Hussain, who is owner of Suzuki car; that sufficient material is available on record, which requires further inquiry in terms of Section 497(2), Cr.PC. No one is in attendance on behalf of applicant Nabeel in connected Criminal Bail Application No.2309/2024.

 

4.         Learned D.P.G. has opposed for grant of bail to both applicants/accused  on the ground that snatched Suzuki car has been recovered on their pointation; that complainant has identified both the applicants before learned Magistrate during identification parade; that sufficient material is available on record which connects them in the commission of alleged offence.

 

5.         Heard learned counsel for applicant as well as learned D.P.G. and perused the material available on record.

6.         Complainant of this case, namely, Mazhar Hussain lodged FIR by stating that he is driver and on 10.08.2024 he loaded 16 LPG cylinders on Suzuki, when the applicants robbed the said vehicle along with cylinders. During investigation, applicants were arrested and on their pointation robbed Suzuki car has been recovered and during investigation they were put to identification parade where complainant has identified them as accused and, moreover, IO collected CCTV footages of Hub Chowki Byco Petrol Pump which shows the presence of applicants at the scene of offence. Learned counsel for applicants mainly contended that there is delay of four days in lodging of FIR and it is not alleged that applicants have pointed their weapons, therefore, section 397, PPC does not applicable to the present case. It is well settled principle of law that at the bail stage, the Court is not to make deeper examination and appreciation of the evidence collected during investigation or to conduct anything in the nature of a preliminary trial to determine the accused's guilt or innocence as held by the apex case in the case of Muhammad Sarfraz Ansari versus The State and others (PLD 2021 Supreme Court 738). From the tentative assessment of record it appears that sufficient material has been collected during investigation, which connects the applicants in the commission of offence, no case of further inquiry has been made out. Therefore, instant criminal bail applications are dismissed.

7.         The observations made herein above are tentative in nature the same would not prejudice the case of either party at trial.

            Office to place copy of this order in Cr. Bail Application No.2309/2024.

 

J U D G E

 

Gulsher/PS