Bail granted to rape attempt accused

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to a “faith healer” in an attempted rape case while expressed serious displeasure over the police for poor investigation.

A two-judge bench comprising acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik that took up the bail petition observed that suspects got relief from courts due to faulty investigation by the police.

The bench remarked that it was the responsibility of an investigation officer to dig out facts whether a complainant leveled heinous allegations against suspect(s). Ghaziabad police, Lahore, had lodged a case against “faith healer” Ijaz Butt on charge of sexual assault on a woman follower. The woman’s husband told the bench that his wife had visited the fake faith healer to get an amulet (taweez) when the suspect attempted to rape her. To a court’s query, the man said his wife had gone to the “faith healer” without informing him.

The bench regretted that the police failed to hold a proper investigation into the case to find out the truth. It granted bail to the suspect subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs100, 000.