Four granted protective bail in DHA arms case

The Sindh High Court on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to four persons, including two businessmen, facing charges of possessing arms and ammunition case.

Malik Amir Ashiq Dewan, Malik Waqas Ashique Dewan, Rhutaab Zain and Bazil Ashique Dewan were booked by the Clifton police on June 9 this year following the discovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition in Defence area.

According to the police, the arms and ammunition -- 11 Kalashnikovs, 14 pistols of different bores, seven types of rifles, 25 types of magazines and 302 bullets – were being carried in a vehicle of the applicants and their bungalow in DHA Phase VI.

Police alleged that the applicants’ servants were shifting arms and ammunition from one bungalow to another on the directives of the applicants, apprehending a raid by a National Accountability Bureau team in connection with a financial embezzlement inquiry.

The counsel for the accused, Aamir Mansoob Qureshi, submitted that the police had booked his clients to disgrace them despite the fact that all the arms were licensed. He submitted that co-accused Javed and Chanesar were granted bail by the trial court after they sought protective bail so that they could defend themselves in the trial court.

A single bench granted protective pre-arrest bail to the applicants with a surety of Rs200,000 and issued a notice to the prosecutor general of Sindh for October 3 for the confirmation of the bail or otherwise.