LHC orders action against cops for delay in producing accused

LAHORE:Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Monday granted post arrest bail to a man arrested in a drug case and also ordered action against the police officials for producing the suspect before the judicial magistrate concerned with a ten-hour delay.

The chief justice observed that the delayed production of the suspect before the magistrate for remand showed a clear malafide on part of the IO and other police officials. Advocate Aslam Gondal argued on behalf of the suspect, Qasim alias Goga, Mughalpura police arrested the petitioner on July 30, 2020 with an alleged recovery of 1kg heroin but produced him before the magistrate after 36 hours of the arrest.

The counsel said the police were bound to produce any suspect before the judicial magistrate concerned not later than 24 hours of the arrest. He said the matter ofillegal detention was agitated before the magistrate who ordered an inquiry. However, he said no inquiry had been conducted into the matter despite an application was also filed with the CCPO Lahore. The counsel argued that the police implicated the petitioner in a fabricated case on malafide intention. CJ granted post arrest bail to the petitioner and ordered the CCPO to lodge a case against the IO and other police officials for showing delinquency.