A sessions court has dismissed the bail application of a suspect in a case pertaining to a fire incident at an illegal petrol shop in Shah Faisal Colony.
Raheel Aslam, owner of the shop, and Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, owner of the ‘illegal’ petrol pump established in the shop, were booked on charges of manslaughter and negligent conduct after a fire erupted in the shop on the ground floor of a three-storey building in Shah Faisal Colony No3 on September 11, killing a citizen.
On September 13, Raheel was granted interim pre-arrest bail against surety of Rs50,000 and was directed to join the investigation.
Additional Sessions Judge (East) Shahid Ali Memon dismissed the suspect's application seeking confirmation of the interim bail and ordered his arrest. He noted that as per the tentative assessment of the case, the present applicant appeared to be the owner of the shop where the tragic incident resulted in the death of one person. He added the fire destroyed the entire building, including two flats and three shops, as well as nine motorcycles.
"It was the prime responsibility of the owner to have kept eye on the movement of his tenant who used to sale petrol at his shop without permission and observing safety measures," the judge observed. "Therefore, under such circumstances, present applicant is an accused in this case because he had also shown his great irresponsibility and negligence, therefore, at this stage he is not entitled for bail before arrest being extraordinary relief."
The judge noted that the investigation officer was yet to arrest the main suspect, Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, who claimed himself to be a journalist and obtained permission from the deputy commissioner for installing petrol nozzle machine at the shop. The IO was also yet to investigate how such permission was granted, he added.
"Nowadays such kind of incidents are increasing because of great negligence of the concerned and if the present accused being owner of shop was granted bail then it would amount to encourage him and others, therefore, bail plea merits no consideration and the same is hereby rejected," ruled the judge.
The applicant stated that he was innocent and was falsely implicated in the present case due to mala fide intention and ulterior motives of the complainant in connivance with police officials.
He said he was the owner of the shop but had no connection with the main suspect Riaz Ahmed, adding that in fact, Sheikh was an acquaintance of a person named Talha, who was his tenant.
The applicant said that Riaz along with Talha had got fixed a petrol nozzle illegally in his shop and when he came to know about it, he tried to stop them from carrying out that illegal business but they did not listen to him.
An FIR has been lodged at the Shah Faisal Colony police station under the sections 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The case was registered on the complaint of Salman Ahmed Chawla, brother of Siraj Ahmed who burned to death while having a haircut in the adjacent barber shop.