KARACHI, Aug 1: A sessions court dismissed on Wednesday the bail application of an accused in the murder case of renowned artist Ismail Gulgee and others.

Mohammad Anwar, a servant of the slain artist, had moved the bail application before District and Sessions Judge (south) Hasan Feroz, who dismissed the plea after hearing arguments from both sides.

Gulgee and his wife, Zareen Gulgee, with their maid Asiya were found strangled in their home situated within the remit of the Boat Basin police station on Dec 19, 2007. The bodies were found three days after the murder. The driver and a servant of the slain artist had gone missing with a car belonging to the deceased couple.

However, the police arrested driver Akram Ali and servant Anwar on Feb 16, 2008 and claimed to have seized paintings and other stolen articles from them. During interrogation, they confessed to having killed the victims to rob the house, it added.

A case (FIR 490/07) was registered at the Boat Basin police station under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of the murdered couple’s son.

Two jailed for three years

A judicial magistrate sentenced on Wednesday two men to three years in prison in a robbery case.

Shahzad Ahmed and Zeehsan were found guilty of taking the vehicle of Ahsanullah away and depriving him of cash in February 2011 within the remit of the Saddar police station.

Judicial Magistrate (south) Hatim Aziz Solangi also directed the convicts to pay Rs25,000 each to the complainant as compensation. In case of non-payment, they would have to undergo an additional six-month imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, the accused intercepted the victim on March 10, 2011 in Saddar, robbed him of cash and also took away his car, but a police party chased the accused and arrested them after a shootout.

A case (FIR 60/11) was registered under Sections 392 (punishment for robbery) and 34 of the PPC.

The accused were produced in court in custody and after the pronouncement of the verdict the judge remanded them back to prison to serve out the remainder of their sentences.