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Female model denied bail in fake pictures case

Bureau Report 2015-04-29
PESHAWAR: A local court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of a female model in a case in which she is accused of sharing the alleged fake objectionable pictures of a policewoman with friends and the latter`s family over the cellphone.

Judge of the additional district and sessions court Nusrat Yasmeen pronounced the petition`s rejection after hearing arguments of both parties.

She observed that the petitioner, Neelum Ismail alias Balbu, didn`t deserve to be given the concession of bail in the case.

The petitioner, who also works as presenter with a local Pashto television channel, was arrested on April 20 by the Federal Investigation Agency after the court rejected her plea for prearrest bail.

She is accused of sharing fake pictures of a woman police constable with friends and the latter`s family over the cellphone.

Few days ago, the court rejected the bail petition of Neelum`s husband, Mohsin Ali Shah, who is also charge d in the case.

His bail petition is now pending with the Peshawar High Court.

The couple is charged under Section 36 (violation of privacy of information) and Section 37 (unauthorised modification, altering or damaging information) of the Electronic Transaction Ordinance 2002.

The complainant in the case is Imran Khan, brother of the policewoman.

Ayesha Malik, lawyer for the complainant, said the evidence on record proved the involvement of the petitioner in the offence.

She said the petitioner was charged under sections 36 and 37 of the Electronic Transaction Ordinance 2002 and that the offences covered by those sections were non-bailable.

The lawyer said the petitioner had sent fake pictures of the policewoman through her cellphone to the complainant.

She said after receiving the said pictures, the complainant had lodged a complaint with the FIA, which probed the matter for over a month.

The lawyer said during investigation, it was found out that the cellphone used in the offence belonged to the petitioner, while the SIM card used by her was registered in the name of her husband.

She said the petitioner`s cellphone was also taken into possession by the FIA and that forensic test of the said phone showed that the pictures were sent byit.

The petitioner`s lawyer said his client was pregnant and should be released on bail.

He said his client was falsely implicated in the case and that she had nothing to do with objectionable pictures.