PESHAWAR – A local court on Monday accepted a plea by one Rehana and ordered the release of her husband Erin Mark De Haven on bail. De Haven was arrested under Section 14 of the Foreigner’s Act by security forces on March 25 from outside a fast food restaurant in Peshawar. Additional District and Sessions Judge Altafur Rehman heard the arguments in favour of the bail plea of De Haven and reserved the judgement on Friday.
Civil Judge Qudratullah Marwat ordered sending De Haven on judicial remand to Central Jail Peshawar on February 26. Later his Pakistani wife, Rehana, filed an application before the additional district and session judge for the release of her husband on bail. The additional district and session judge on Monday announced his decision and ordered the release of De Haven on bail. The court directed the applicant to submit two sureties with Rs 2 million in cash. The cash amount is to be deposited with the superintendent of district and sessions court.
The court also directed the US national, De Haven, to inform the University Town police in case of his movement to the jurisdiction of even other police stations within the city. Lawyer for the US national, Ali Raza, told reporters that he was mulling filing an appeal before the high court, as the additional district and sessions judge had treated the US national’s bail application under Section 497 of CrPC. He said that the US national was arrested under the Foreigner’s Act, therefore, the court had the right to treat the application in according with the said act.
