SC disposes of bail matters of fake bank accounts accused

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Supreme Court Monday disposed of the bail matters of Mohammad Umair, Taha Raza and Hussain Lawai in fake bank accounts case.

A three-member SC bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the case and directed the accused persons to approach high court again.

During the course of proceedings, the counsel for the accused said that his clients were in jail for two years and eight months. The co-accused had been granted bail, he added.

Justice Mushir Alam said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested the accused but reference was filed after 18 months.

Justice Qazi Amin said that there was no charge frame for the absence of lawyers in NAB cases.

He asked how could the charge frame be linked to the presence of a counsel? Charging frame was a matter between the accused and the court, he added.

Justice Afridi said that the accused did not sought bail in hardship cases. The accused had sought bail on merit and medical grounds, he added.

He said that if the accused wanted bail on hardship then they should again file bail pleas in  the high court.

The court disposed of the bail applications with the consent of the accused’s lawyers.

The court stated that the accused could approach the high courts for bail on new grounds.