A judicial magistrate on Saturday granted bail to a police officer’s son in a case pertaining to a heated argument with cops in DHA over the use of a police number plate on a private luxury vehicle.
Muhammad Khubaib, son of a senior superintendent of police (SSP), has been booked by the Defence police under sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 170 (personating a public servant) and 171 (wearing garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
An FIR was lodged against him on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Shazan Shakeel. On Saturday the suspect appeared before Special Duty Magistrate (South) Aasim Aslam, along with his lawyers, and moved a bail application.
After hearing the investigating officer and the defence lawyers, the magistrate granted bail to the suspect against a surety of Rs50,000, and warned that he would be remanded to judicial custody until May 15 in case of failure to furnish the surety.
The court said the suspect, who was produced in police custody by IO Muhammad Naeem, did not complain of maltreatment at the hands of police.
On inquiry, the IO said physical custody of the accused is required for further interrogation and collecting evidence, the magistrate noted in his order, adding that the sections involved in the FIR are bailable offences, so the suspect is entitled to the concession of bail.
The court directed the IO to submit an investigation report and a final report within the stipulated time in accordance with the law.
Defence lawyers Osama Ali Gujjar, Faisal Sheikh and Wahid Sheikh contended that the FIR had been lodged after a delay of nine hours. They said that on the night of the incident, the applicant and his parents had voluntarily gone to the police station to call for an explanation and show-cause for such “blatant, unjustified and unreasonable” actions of the complainant.
“Upon which the SHO including but not limited to were present there and apologised for the actions of such complainant, wherein the complainant himself accepted his mistake and deeply regretted his actions,” the counsel said, claiming that the applicant had been allowed to leave the police station with his parents.
They said the FIR had been lodged even after an understanding had been reached between police and the suspect. The counsels said that the offences are all bailable in nature, and do not fall within the prohibitory clause of Section 497 of the Criminal Procedure Code, requesting the court to grant the applicant bail.
According to the FIR, the complainant said he was busy patrolling the area when he spotted a black Toyota Revo bearing a “fake number plate, displaying police lights and having tinted glasses” near Qayyumabad in DHA Phase VII.
He said he signalled the “suspicious” vehicle to stop, adding that the driver avoided disclosing his name, and said his mother was an SP.
He also said he told the driver that a police number plate was displayed on his vehicle, which was private, and that having police lights and tinted glasses is a crime. “Following this, the unknown person told the gunman accompanying him to push this officer.”
The complainant said he “opened the door and tried to arrest the driver”, adding that the person grabbed his collar and started hurling abuses. While continuously abusing him, the driver fled the spot, along with his armed gunmen, the cop said.
