- Judicial magistrate dismissed Mallick’s bail plea without conducting inquiry into allegations, argues counsel
KARACHI: A district and sessions court in Karachi on Saturday sought reply from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) by April 3 in response to journalist Farhan Mallick’s appeal against the dismissal of his bail application in a case pertaining to alleged violation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
The district and sessions judge (East) issued the orders on journalist Mallick’s appeal against the verdict of the judicial magistrate (East).
As proceedings began on Saturday, Mallick’s counsel argued that the judicial magistrate dismissed his client’s bail plea without conducting an inquiry into the allegation against the journalist.
“Rejecting the bail application based only on the thumbnail is not fair,” argued his counsel.
Meanwhile, the court sought FIA’s response in this regard and adjourned the hearing till April 3.
The development comes a day after a local court dismissed the bail plea of the journalist in the case pertaining to the alleged violation of the Peca.
The FIA took the journalist into custody on March 20 for allegedly posting anti-state content on his web channel.
The FIA lodged the FIR against Mallick under multiple sections of the Peca Act read with Pakistan Penal Code’s Section 190 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 500 (punishment for defamation).
The FIR mentioned that Mallick, who worked for a private news channel as director news and now owns a YouTube channel, was allegedly involved in disseminating anti-state content.
“During the course of inquiry, initial technical analysis of the alleged YouTube Channel was received, which revealed that the alleged person is involved in generating and disseminating posts and videos related to anti-state, consisting of fake news and public incitement agenda,” the FIR mentioned.
“He has [been] continuously disseminating and uploading posts and videos related to anti-state, consist of fake news and public incitement agenda, thereby causing harm to the reputation of public institutes on an international level which acts on his part constitute the commission of offence.”
A local court on March 25 sent Mallick to jail on judicial remand, rejecting the FIA’s request for an extension in physical remand.
After the expiry of his four-day physical remand, the FIA presented the senior journalist before the judicial magistrate (East), seeking an extension to the remand.
However, the court rejected the FIA’s request for his physical remand and instead sent Mallick to jail on judicial remand.
