KARACHI (Web Desk) – A judicial magistrate in Karachi has granted bail to television anchorperson Iqrarul Hassan in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), his lawyer confirmed on Saturday.
Read also: Iqrarul Hassan challenges NCCIA custody order, hearing set for Thursday
Advocate Ahmad Masood told media that East Judicial Magistrate Gulraiz Memon approved Hassan’s release against surety bonds of Rs200,000 after the submission of the investigation report (challan) before the trial court.
Hassan had been arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in connection with allegations of circulating anti-state, false and defamatory material through his official social media accounts. The case was registered under multiple provisions of PECA.
According to his counsel, the investigating agency has submitted the challan and taken possession of Hassan’s electronic devices as part of the investigation.
During Saturday’s proceedings, the NCCIA informed the court that it did not require further investigation involving the anchorperson at this stage. However, the agency was still awaiting the forensic examination report of the seized devices.
The latest development comes after the judicial magistrate rejected Hassan’s earlier bail application on October 22. Following that decision, his defence counsel approached the sessions court against the rejection.
The sessions court subsequently observed that the defence could seek bail from the trial court after submission of the challan. This provided the basis for the fresh bail application before the judicial magistrate.
Earlier, on October 19, the magistrate had sent Hassan to prison on an eight-day judicial remand, which was scheduled to continue until October 26.
On October 17, Hassan was produced before the court after completion of his initial four-day physical remand. The NCCIA had requested an additional 10 days of custody for further questioning.
However, the magistrate declined the agency’s request for the full period and instead granted two additional days of physical remand before subsequently sending him to judicial custody.
The latest bail order allows Hassan to secure release upon completion of the required surety formalities.
