The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday suspended the three-year sentence each awarded to seven policemen, including former SHO Rana Ilyas, in the Sialkot lynching case. The Gujranwala Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had found 10 policemen, including former DPO Waqar Chohan, guilty in the case. The bench headed by LHC Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry ordered their release on bail against a surety bond worth Rs 200,000 each.
Petitioners, including SHO Rana Ilyas, ASI Muhammad Waris, constables Muhammad Akram, Mubarik Ali, Tariq Khan, Naseer Bhatti, and Bashir Ahmed in their applications submitted that in the light of Supreme Court (SC) decision a convict granted less then 5 years punishment could be released on bail. Their counsel argued before the court that they were not present on the place of occurrence and the complainant had implicated them in the case with malafide intention. SHO Rana Ilyas had filed a separate petition while remaining seven convict had filed one combined petition.
In the petitions, they submitted that their co-accused former DPO Waqar Chohan had already been released on bail after the suspension of his conviction. They asked the court to accept their petitions and grant them bail. On the other hand, the complainant, the father of the deceased, and prosecution department have also filed appeals for the enhancement of the conviction of the police officials and for the conviction of the acquitted accused.
A division bench of the LHC headed by the chief justice had earlier suspended the three-year sentence awarded to former District Police Officer (DPO) Sialkot Waqar Chohan by the ATC.
LHC suspends sentence of 7 policemen
