| Case ID |
0a2cf774-d338-43eb-9652-e4f80a6324f0 |
| Body |
View case body. Login to View |
| Case Number |
Criminal Appeal No. 99 of 2020 |
| Decision Date |
May 19, 2020 |
| Hearing Date |
|
| Decision |
The Islamabad High Court upheld the acquittal of Zafran Mehmood Satti by the trial court, finding that the prosecution failed to associate independent witnesses during the recovery of an unlicensed pistol, which was a violation of Section 103 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court emphasized the importance of the prosecution's duty to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and concluded that the trial court's decision was based on sound reasoning, leading to a dismissal of the appeal. |
| Summary |
In the case of Criminal Appeal No. 99 of 2020, the Islamabad High Court addressed the appeal filed by the State against the acquittal of Zafran Mehmood Satti, who was charged under the Pakistan Arms Ordinance for possessing an unlicensed pistol. The court reviewed the evidence presented by the prosecution, which included multiple witnesses but noted significant shortcomings, particularly the failure to involve independent witnesses from the locality during the recovery process. The court reiterated the principle that the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt and that any doubt should favor the accused. The decision underscored the significance of procedural compliance in criminal cases, especially regarding witness association during evidence collection. Ultimately, the High Court found the trial court's acquittal to be justified and declined to interfere with its ruling, thus reinforcing the presumption of innocence attached to acquitted individuals. This case highlights the crucial balance between law enforcement procedures and the rights of individuals accused of crimes, emphasizing the judicial system's role in safeguarding justice. |
| Court |
Islamabad High Court
|
| Entities Involved |
Not available
|
| Judges |
Ghulam Azam Qambrani, Justice
|
| Lawyers |
Zohaib Hassan Gondal,
Iqbal SI
|
| Petitioners |
The State
|
| Respondents |
Zafran Mehmood Satti
|
| Citations |
2020 SLD 2385,
2020 MLD 1834
|
| Other Citations |
Qalandro alias Nazro v. The State 1997 MLD 1632,
Sajjan v. The State 1998 PCr.LJ 1399,
Nazar Muhammad v. The State 1996 PCr.LJ 1410,
Fareed Ahmed Langra v. The State 1998 PCr.LJ 1368,
Muhammad Iqbal v. Abid Hussain alias Mithu and 6 others 1994 SCMR 1928,
Muhammad Ijaz v. Fahim Afzal 1998 SCMR 1281,
Jahangir v. Aminullah and others 2010 SCMR 491
|
| Laws Involved |
Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965,
Criminal Procedure Code (V of 1898)
|
| Sections |
13,
417,
103
|