| Citation(s) |
|---|
| 2026 SLG 2389 2026 SLD 2389 = 2026 LHC 3800 |
Lahore High Court
Crl. Appeal No.43135-J of 2021 , Crl. Rev. No.58952 of 2021
Presented By: (AALIA NEELUM) CHIEF JUSTICE
Date of hearing: 03.06.2026. Appellant by: Mr. Faseeh Ullah Khan, Advocate. Ms. Uzma Razzaq Khan, Advocate (Defence counsel) for the appellant. State by: Ms. Maida Sobia, Deputy Prosecutor General. Complainant by: Mr. Usama Mir, Advocate.
Crl. Appeal No.43135-J of 2021 , Crl. Rev. No.58952 of 2021
Presented By: (AALIA NEELUM) CHIEF JUSTICE
Date of hearing: 03.06.2026. Appellant by: Mr. Faseeh Ullah Khan, Advocate. Ms. Uzma Razzaq Khan, Advocate (Defence counsel) for the appellant. State by: Ms. Maida Sobia, Deputy Prosecutor General. Complainant by: Mr. Usama Mir, Advocate.
(Muhammad Imran Sajid
VERSUS
The State, etc.), (Abdul Kareem versus Muhammad Imran Sajid, etc.)
Law: Pakistan Penal Code (PPC),1860
Section: 302(b)
Law: Code Of Civil Procedure, 1908.
Section: 161, 173, 342 & 340(2), 382-B, 544-A
Law: Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984
Section: 22
Tagline Acquittal in a murder case due to unreliable "chance witnesses," delayed recording of police statements, and failure to establish the safe custody of forensic evidence. Summary The High Court accepted the appeal of Muhammad Imran Sajid, setting aside his life imprisonment for the murder of his former mother-in-law. The court found that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a shadow of doubt due to unreliable chance witnesses, an unexplained delay in recording key witness statements, and a failure to maintain the integrity of forensic evidence custody. Consequently, the appellant was ordered to be released, and the complainant’s revision for a harsher sentence was dismissed. ORDER; AALIA NEELUM, C.J: Muhammad Imran Sajid, son of Khadim Hussain, Caste Butt, resident of Basti Sailab Abad, Post Office, Tibba Rao Garh Chadhar, District Multan, the appellant, was involved in case F.I.R. No.340 of 2019, dated 14.11.2019, registered under Section 302 PPC, at Police Station, Ahmad Pur Sial, District Jhang, and was tried by the learned Sessions Judge, Jhang. The trial court was seized of the matter in terms of the judgment dated 18.06.2021 and convicted the appellant under section 302(b) PPC and sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life as Tazir with the direction to pay Rs.5,00,000/- as compensation under section 544-A Cr.P.C. to the legal heirs of the deceased, Mst. Anwari Bibi, and in case of default in payment thereof, he would further undergo six months of S.I. The benefit of section 382-B Cr.P.C. was also extended in favour of the appellant. Feeling aggrieved by the trial court's judgment, Muhammad Imran Sajid, the appellant, has assailed his conviction by filing Crl. Appeal No.43135-J of 2021. It is pertinent to mention here that the complainant also filed Crl. Rev. No.58952 of 2021 qua enhancement of sentence awarded to the appellant. The matters arising from the same trial court judgment are being disposed of through a consolidated judgment. The prosecution case, as alleged in the F.I.R (Ex. PE) lodged on the written complaint (Ex. PJ) of Abdul Kareem (PW-9), the complainant, is that his niece, Mst. Nadia Bibi, was…