KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi has granted interim pre-arrest bail to Fida Muhammad who was arrested by customs authorities for attempting to smuggle Indian origin cigarettes and gutkha into the country.
During the hearing, the defence counsel submitted that the applicant was innocent and had been falsely implicated in this case, therefore, the court might grant him bail. After hearing the arrangements, the court granted interim pre-arrest bail against surety bonds of Rs 200,000.
The Custom court directed the accused to join investigation if and when required by the investigation officer and also issued notice to the special prosecutor custom and called police papers.
According to the prosecution, on 01/03/2016 anti-smuggling organisation raided at situated at market tower salawat para Hyderabad and arrested the accused persons namely Shah Muhammad S/O Bangal Khan and Muhammad Ayoub S/O Habib Khan and recovered 1129 dandas foreign origin cigarettes of different brands and Indian origin 65 bags of gutkha.
Investigation officer further informed the court that the accused persons were found involved in evasion of duty and taxes to the sum of Rs. 14, 06, 585.
After the formalities, custom authorities arrested the above named accused persons and case was registered complainant Anwar Ahmed Siddiqui, deputy superintendent ASO Hyderabad in violation of section 2 (s) of the custom act 1969 read with SRO 566 (1)/2005 dated 06/06/2005 punishable under clauses (8) (a) (b) (c) (89) 92 section 156 (1) of the customs act, 1969.
It needs to be pertained here that accused Fida Muhammad was absconder and now he got pre-arrest bail from this court.
