KARACHI: The Customs Court dismissed after arrest bail a suspect namely Shoukatullah Khan, who was already confined in Central Jail Karachi and booked in first information report (FIR) for smuggling of huge quantities of betel nuts.
on 4 January 2021, during the hearing, counsel for the petitioner stated that the accused/ applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case, who is confined in jail, therefore, the court may grant his after-arrest bail till final judgment in this case.
It needs to be mentioned here, the court had issued non-bail able warrants against suspects namely Anwar, Zahoor, Bashir, Imran and Asmatullah Khan and directed the investigation officer to arrest them and produce before the court on the next date of hearing, who were absconded in the same case.
Earlier, investigation officer of customs preventive submitted charge sheet against above mentioned suspects and others and informs the court that on an actionable information, customs officials intercepted one Hino Trawler bearing registration no TLB-631 an during the checking of container bearing no CSLU 6025246 recovered 25,625.5 kg betel nuts valuing of Rs. 25,650,500 and 307.5 kg betel nuts valuing of Rs. 307,500.
He further submitted that only one accused namely Shoukatullah Khan has been arrested by the customs officials, however, others, who are involved in smuggling of said goods are still absconders in this case and investigation is trying its best for their arrest and they will be produced before the trial court when arrested.
According to the prosecution, case was registered for violation of section 2 (s) read with sections 156 (2), 157 (2) and 178 of the customs act, 1969 punishable under clause (89) of the section 156 (1) ibid read with section 3 (1) of the import and export control act, 1969.
