The Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted Imran alias Mani, who was sentenced to death in a double murder and adultery case, after spending 21 years in prison. The acquittal was granted due to lack of evidence and the benefit of doubt.
The five-member bench, led by the Chief Justice, overturned the decisions of both the trial court and the Federal Shariat Court. Imran was initially sentenced in 2004 by the Wazirabad additional sessions judge to seven years in prison and the death penalty for double murder and adultery. His appeal to the Federal Shariat Court was rejected, and the sentence was upheld.
In 2012, Imran filed an appeal with the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court, which accepted the appeal for regular hearing in 2018. During the hearing on Thursday, the Supreme Court bench identified significant flaws in the investigation process. Justice Isa criticized the police for their inadequate investigation, noting that proper evidence was not collected and questioning the expectation that courts would convict based on insufficient evidence.
After thoroughly reviewing the case records and hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court bench set aside the earlier verdicts and acquitted Imran, citing the lack of evidence and the benefit of doubt as the basis for their decision.
