Dogs’ owner flees court after bail recalled in lawyer mauling case

The owner of the pet dogs that mauled a senior lawyer in Defence Housing Authority a few days ago escaped the City Courts on Saturday after a sessions judge cancelled his bail observing criminal negligence.

A video had gone viral on social media earlier this week which showed two dogs attacking a pedestrian and tackling him to the ground in a street in DHA Phase VI.

The victim, Advocate Mirza Akhtar, was severely wounded in the incident after which police booked the owner of the dogs, Humayan Khan, and two handlers Fahad and Ali in the case.

The South additional district and sessions judge, Shahid Ali Memon , gave remarks that the suspect showed criminal negligence while letting his dogs out in the street without taking into consideration any safety protocols.

The judge added that the suspect, being the owner, was supposed to have fulfilled his responsibility before allowing his employees to take the animals out of the house.

He wrote that admittedly, the dogs were free from any rope or leash or muzzle because of which, this unpleasant incident happened and the victim suffered through a horrifying and life-threatening situation.

The judge said the negligence of Khan and his employees did not just harm an individual but put the whole society in danger due to which he was not entitled to bail and therefore should be arrested.

The judge also shed light on the stray dog biting and said that such incidents were increasing across the country, especially in Sindh, putting the lives of people at risk yet the authorities were “sleeping, having no sense of responsibility.”

The court then recalled the interim bail granted to the suspect previously against a surety of Rs50,000, and ordered his arrest. The investigation officer later told the court that the suspect had fled the courtroom.

After listening to the arguments from both the defendant and the complainant sides, the court had on Friday reserved its order on the application moved by the suspect seeking confirmation of his bail.

The suspect’s counsel, Javed Mir, had argued in the court that his client was not present at his residence at that time so he could not be held responsible for the unfortunate incident. On the other hand, the complainant’s attorney, Naeem Qureshi, had opposed the confirmation of bail, saying that the suspect, his son and employees were responsible for the mauling incident which terrified many.

The FIR is registered under the sections 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal), 337 (Shajjah) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Darakhshan police station.