' Mehr Muhammad Kabir (a practising lawyer of Shorkot) stands charged for the murder of Abdul Rashid deceased. According to the prosecution the petitioner had been engaged by the deceased as counsel in a land case which was fixed for 14-9-1988 in the Court of Mr. Khalid Shabbir, Civil Judge, Shorkot. On the preceding night Abdul Rashid deceased came to the house of the petitioner and stayed for the night there. In the morning he was found dead. Nizam Din father-in-law of the deceased reported the matter to the police on 14-9-1986 alleging that the petitioner had got Abdul Rashid murdered in connivance with the opposite party.
2. On 23-10-1988 widow of the deceased introduced another motive alleging that the deceased was suspected of maintaining illicit intimacy with the females of the family of the petitioner resulting in his murder.
3. There is no direct evidence in the case and the petitioner is sought to be linked with the crime by the recovery of the dead body of Abdul Rashid deceased from the petitioner's house as well as motive.
4. Bail is pleaded on the grounds that there is no evidence to the effect that the petitioner had got the deceased murdered in connivance with his opponents or that the deceased was suspected of maintaining illicit intimacy with the females of his family. The second motive was introduced about five weeks after the registration of the case. The mere recovery of the dead body from the house of the petitioner is not sufficient to link him with the offence of murder when according to the prosecution the deceased had stayed in the house of the petitioner in connection with his case which was fixed for the next day. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner did not himself report the matter to the police because he wanted to consult relatives of the deceased in this behalf to find out the names of suspects who could be interested in his murder.
5. The petitioner was arrested on 7-10-1988. Nothing incriminating has been recovered at his instance. He is said to be a Senior Practising Lawyer of Shorkot of the age of 56/57 years. In the absence of any direct evidence in the case there appear to be no reasonable grounds at this stage to believe that he is guilty of the alleged offence. Accordingly, I admit him to bail in the sum of Rs,50,000 with two sureties in the like amount to the atisfaction of A.C., Shorkot.