Man acquitted by SC after spending 21 years in jail

ISLAMABAD: The Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday acquitted the accused awarded death sentence in a double murder and adultery case, giving him benefit of doubt.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa acquitted Imran alias Mani after he spent 21 years in jail, due to lack of evidence and benefit of doubt after setting aside the verdict of a trial court and Federal Shariat Court. Other members of the bench were Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, Dr Muhammad Khalid Masood (ad hoc member 1) and Dr Qibla Ayyaz (ad hoc member II).

In 2004, the Wazirabad additional sessions judge sentenced Imran to seven-year imprisonment and death on charges of double murder and adultery, while the Federal Shariat Court rejected his plea and upheld the sentence. Later, he filed an appeal in the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2012 and the bench in 2018 accepted for regular hearing his appeal.

On Thursday, during the course of hearing, the SC bench pointed out flaws in the investigation process. Justice Isa remarked that police did not conduct proper investigations and questioned why proper evidence was not collected. He said police expected courts to hang the accused without providing ample evidence.

Later, the court, after examining the record and hearing arguments, set aside the verdicts of the trial court and Federal Shariat Court and acquitted the accused on the basis of benefit of doubt and lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, the same Shariat Appellate Bench reserved its judgment in a case pertaining to acquittal of a husband in a Qazaf case. During the hearing, Aslam Khaki, counsel for petitioner Saeeda Begum, told the court that her husband returned from Saudi Arabia and their daughter was born. He submitted that the husband did not accept the baby girl, claiming that it was not his and consequently Saeeda was divorced. His client filed a case of Qazaf against alleged adultery and a trial court acquitted the accused and Shariat Court sentenced him to two years in jail, but the Supreme Court acquitted the accused.

The counsel submitted that now the real issue was of paternity of the girl which was very serious as the girl was 25-year-old. “Due to this issue, she was not yet married,” he said. Justice Isa then said the matter was very complicated, so a decision would be made through mutual consultation. Later, the court reserved the judgment.