SHC grants journalist Mohsin Baig interim post arrest bail

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday granted interim post arrest bail to journalist and media owner Mohsin Baig in the case pertaining to interference in an inquiry of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) of FIA, Karachi, had on February 18 registered the case against Mohsin Baig under the allegations of interference in a case of the FIA, inducing and bribing FIA officials, money laundering and others.

Mohsin Baig has approached the court for quashing the FIR.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro observed in its order, “Although Deputy Attorney General has argued the case to some extent, but when confronted with certain questions like what evidence has been collected against the petitioner in investigation or inquiry to justify his arrest therein, he seeks time, as apparently despite he has submitted statement along with certain document, prima facie, no evidence showing his nexus with alleged offence is available.”

The bench further observed that the submissions of the defendants that petition was not maintainable as the petitioner had already been arrested and interim challan had been submitted, tainted prima facie with mala fide.

The judges observed that the petition could not be allowed to become infructuous without looking at the issue properly, because it is a question of fundamental rights of the petitioner which the court is bound to safeguard under its constitutional jurisdiction.

Sardar Latif Khosa, counsel for the petitioner, citing a ruling of the Supreme Court, sought post arrest bail for his client.

The bench granting bail to the petitioner in the sum of 100,000 rupees and allowing time to the DAG adjourned further hearing till March 11.

In the case, Mohsin Baig had been blamed of inducing, bribing and threatening to get undue favor for a businessman Abdul Wasay in two cases of smuggling and money laundering of the State Bank Circle (SBC) of FIA, Karachi.

According to the content of the fresh FIR registered at Karachi’s ACC on the compliant of Sub-Inspector of ACC, FIA Karachi, during the course of an inquiry of FIA, it came on record that two cases were registered at the FIA State Bank Circle (SBC), Karachi, against accused Abdul Wasay and others on the allegations of smuggling of goods, contraband items, illegal business of Hawala, Hundi and money laundering of billions of rupees.

During the investigation of the said cases, accused Mohsin Baig and Aliullah Achakzai, through an official of FIA Islamabad Gulzar Ahmad, induced former FIA Karachi official Ahmad Khan Mirani, then Investigation Officer (IO) of the cases, to give illegal favour to accused Abdul Wasay. On the inducement IO of the case, Mirani demanded Rs50 million whereas the deal was finalised for Rs35 million.

It has been alleged in FIR that SI Mirani remained in contact with accused Mohsin Baig and the official of FIA Islamabad in those days. For paying the bribe amount to the IO of the case, Mirani accused that Aliullah Achakzai, Mohsin Baig and FIA Islamabad official Gulzar Qamar travelled from Islamabad to Karachi, gave bribe to IO Mirani and after receiving the bribe, Mirani could not give favour to accused Abdul Wasay. On this, accused Aliullah made a complaint to the secretary interior against SI Mirani, the FIR further added.

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