Muhammad Moosa Khan Leghari, J.--This jail petition arises out of judgment dated 1.4.2005 delivered by learned Lahore High Court, Lahore whereby the conviction and sentences awarded to the petitioner in the following terms were upheld: "Under Section 302 (b) 149 PPC, Life imprisonment and compensation of Rs,50,000/- or in default 6 months S.I. each.
Under Section 324/149 PPC, 10 years R.I. and fine of Rs,5,000/- or in default 3 months S.I. each.
Under Section 452/149 PPC, four years R.I. and fine of Rs,1,000/- or in default one month S.I. each.
Under Section 452/149 PPC, one year R.I. with a fine of Rs,1000/- or in default one month S.I. each.
Under Section 149 PPC, one year R.I. with a fine of Rs,1000/- or in default one month S.I. each".
2.Consequent upon registration of F.I.R. No, 76 of 2000, Police Station, Qabula, District, Pakpattan Shard under Sections 302/324/337- A(ii)/337-F(0/337-L(ii)/452/148/149 PPC, the petitioner alongwith ten other accused persons were tried for committing Qatl-e-Amd of Mst. Rehmat Bibi and attempting to commit Qatl-e-Amd of Ghulam Farid and Rashid Ali. He was convicted and sentenced by the Trial Court as reproduced above. The appeal filed by the petitioner was dismissed by the learned High Court.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner relying upon the case of "Ghulam Murtaza. Vs. The State" (PLD 1998 S.C. 152) has raised a grievance that the trial Court as well as Appellate Court has denied the benefit of Section 382-B Cr.P.C. to the petitioner without recording any reasons. Learned Deputy Prosecutor General was unable to controvert the above position.
4. Having heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Deputy Prosecutor General, Punjab and examining the judgments passed by the trial Court and the learned High Court, we find that neither the petitioner has been granted the benefit admissible under Section 382-B Cr.P.C. nor reasons have been recorded for denial thereof. In case of Ghulam Murtaza Vs. The State (Supra), this Court has held as under:-- "In the case of Liaquat Ali. v. The State PLD 1995 S.C. 485 the Shariat Appellate Bench of this Court considered the effect of Section 382-B Cr.P.C. and came to the conclusion that where the Courts below have omitted to consider grant of concession of Section 382-B Cr.P.C. to the accused, the same benefit can be extended by this Court.
From the preceding precedent it appears that unless there are any exceptional circumstances in a case which the Court considers sufficient for the purpose of denying the benefit of Section 382-B Cr.P.C. to the accused, the Court in all other cases while awarding sentence, will take into consideration the period during which the accused remained in detention during his trial, and this period will normally be adjusted in the sentence awarded to the accused by allowing him the benefit of Section 382-B Cr.P.C".
5. On examination of the facts of the case, we have not discovered any exceptional circumstance in the case in hand warranting denial of benefit of Section 382-B Cr.P.C. to the petitioner. We accordingly, while granting leave convert it into appeal, allow the same and direct that the petitioner is entitled to the benefit of Section 382-B Cr.P.C.