MIAN NAZIR AKHTAR, J.- The petitioner has applied for grant of bail in a case registered against him and others vide FIR No. 193, dated 13.6.1998 for offence under Section 11/16 of Ordinance VII of 1979 and Sections 368/212 of the PPc at PS, Kanganpur, Kasur.
2. As per the allegations made in the FIR, the occurrence has taken place on 11.5.1998. The complainant and his wife had gone away from the house for cutting wheat crop. When they returned in the evening they found their daughter missing. During the course of her search the complainant was informed by Muhammad Sarwar and Nazar that Mst. Sharifan Bibi had taken Mst.
Kausar Bibi to her house and that they had seen the present petitioner, his son Muhammad Taufail and Liaqat Ali accused boarding the bus alongwith the abductee.
3. I have heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the State. The report was lodged with an inordinate delay of more than one month without any satisfactory explanation for the same. So far, the abductee has not been recovered. The only evidence available at present against the petitioner is that he alongwith the co-accused and Mst. Kausar Bibi was seen boarding a bus. This cannot necessarily give rise to the inference of abduction of Mst. Kausar Bibi for subjecting her to Zina. The matter qua the petitioner's culpability requires further probe and inquiry and at this stage there are no reasonable grounds for believing that he had committed the offence alleged against him.
4. Therefore, the petition is accepted and the petitioner is allowed bail subject to his furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs. 50,000/- with one surety in like amount to the satisfaction of Sessions Judge, Kasur.