News Desk |
Former chairman PTV and anchorperson Shahid Masood managed to escape before a session court dismissed his pre-arrest bail in the state TV corruption case in Islamabad on Thursday, the 25th of October.
Special Judge central Islamabad, Kamran Bisharat, pronounced the judgment and dismissed the pre-arrest bail of anchorperson Shahid Masood in PTV corruption case. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had raised objections over the pre-arrest bail of Shahid Masood. Shortly before the verdict, Shahid Masood managed to flee the court and is on the run. The judge directed the authorities to arrest Dr. Masood and present him before the court.
When Masood replied that he was ready to be taken off-air for two months, Justice Nisar suggested six months.
The session court had rejected an application for pre-arrest bail filed by Dr. Shahid Masood, in a case regarding his alleged involvement in embezzlement of Rs.38 million. According to the prosecution, Dr. Masood had signed an agreement with a fake company to negotiate with the Pakistan Cricket Board for grant of rights to the PTV for coverage of matches played in Pakistan. Because of the agreement, the PTV had to face heavy losses.
Dr. Masood had been appointed as Chairman Pakistan Television by former president Asif Ali Zardari in his tenure. He currently hosts a show at TV One news channel.
The Islamabad District Court had in June issued non-bailable warrants for Dr. Masood’s arrest on a request of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He had subsequently appeared before the court and obtained an interim bail.
Read more: Local Court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for banned anchor Dr. Shahid…
Dr. Shahid Masood had come under heavy fire from fellow journalists after he made claims about the recently executed rapist Imran Ali, declaring him to be an international operator with 30 foreign bank accounts, earlier this year, sending out a frightening prospect of the involvement of an international ring in Pakistan.
In March this year, the Supreme Court took a suo-moto notice and asked Dr. Masood to produce evidence of the bank accounts. The anchorperson could not produce corroborating evidence and was tried under a terrorism act.
The final trial had taken place in the presence of major media stakeholders in the courtroom, all of whom Dr. Masood had slandered on his program.
During court proceedings, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nisar recalled Masood’s statement that he was ready to be ‘hanged’ if his allegations were proven wrong and said: “We will not give you capital punishment like you asked but we will ask you what should be the punishment for you.”
When Masood replied that he was ready to be taken off-air for two months, Justice Nisar suggested six months. After back-and-forth arguments, the bench decided to suspend his news show for three months.
Read more: Dr. Shahid Masood’s claims about Zainab’s murderer prove false
The final trial had taken place in the presence of major media stakeholders in the courtroom, all of whom Dr. Masood had slandered on his program.