ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to Bilal Abbasi, a co-accused in the judge-fighting case, against Rs50,000 surety bonds.

The Secretariat Police informed the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah that Chaudhry Khurram, husband of PTI’s Member Punjab Assembly Abida Raja, has also been taken into custody and he is now detained in Adiala jail on judicial remand.

Khurram’s employee Abbasi has been taken into custody last month after the scuffle in the Red Zone on the Constitution Avenue of Islamabad.

Additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Ata Rabbani on Oct 3 rejected the bail of Abbasi.

Abbasi allegedly went into scuffle with ADSJ Jahangir Awan and thrashed him while Khurram resorted to firing in the air. The incident took place near a petrol pump, adjacent to the Diplomatic Enclave.

According to the petition filed by advocate Sardar Abdul Razzaq, the FIR was registered against Khurram and the co-accused was implicated through supplementary statement recorded at belated stage and he was arrested and later sent to judicial lockup.

He filed his post-arrest bail before the learned judicial uunder Section 30, which was dismissed on Sept 25.

The accused then approached the sessions court of ADSJ Rabbani for the bail, but he too declined.

According to the petition, the allegations against the accused are ill-founded and absurd and he is the victim of malicious prosecution.

The petitioner has not been nominated in the FIR. According to the allegations leveled in the FIR, Khurram husband of Abida Raja MPA and his employee were the accused in the case. However, through supplementary statement, Abbasi has also been implicated.

This amendment in the story of the prosecution has brought the case of the petitioner within the ambit of further inquiry as contemplated under section 497 (2) of the CrPC, the bail application said.

It said that Abbasi remained on physical remand but nothing incriminating could be recovered from his possession adding that the accused has neither participated in the scuffle nor is involved in the case in any manner. However, he has been involved on the basis of his relationship with Khurram.

The petition said the offences mentioned in FIR do not fall within the prohibition contained in section 497 CrPC and according to law settled by the Honorable superior judiciary, bail in such cases is a rule and refusal is an exception, therefore, the petitioner is entitled for bail.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2020