KARACHI: The Customs Court granted interim pre-arrest bail of suspect Abdul Ghani Ronja, owner of M/s Nagina Supari Godown Factory and directed investigation officer to complete investigation and submit final charge sheet in a case of attempting to smuggle 38,400 kgs crushed betel nuts and 750kgs Sodium Cyclamate CP Grade (Sweetener) made in Indonesia.
On 24 April 2020, after argument of counsel for accused person, the court granted interim pre-arrest bail against the surety of Rs 100,000 and directed the suspect to appear before the court on next date of hearing without fail.
Earlier, counsel for the petitioner stated in his pre-arrest bail application that the contents of the FIR are false, frivolous, baseless and concocted, the applicant/accused is totally innocent and has been falsely implicated in the instant case and if the investigation officer succeeded to arrest him, he shall face humiliation and suffer irreparable loss to honor and dignity.
Counsel further argued that applicant/ accused came from respectable families and they strongly apprehend that in case of applicant approached the trial court for seeking remedy without protection of this court they will be arrested by the investigation officer in the instant case.
According to the prosecution, on an credible information, a team of customs preventive raided at M/s Nagina Supari Godown Factory and during the raid recovered 960 pp bags each weighing 40 kg containing crushed betel nuts total weighing 38,400 kg valuing of Rs 30,720,000 and 30 pp bags of sodium cyclamate CP grade (sweetener) made in Indonesia each weighing 25 kg total 750 kg valuing of Rs 928,125.
Investigation officer further submits that during the investigation, it was revealed that above-mentioned suspects and financiers, abettors, associates and others are involved in smuggling of said goods.
According to the prosecution, case was registered for violation of under section 2(s) 157 (2) of customs act, 1969 punishable under clause (89) of section 156 (i) ibid read with section 156 (2) of the customs act, 1969.
