Bail plea dismissed in minor rape case

The Abbottabad Bench of the Peshawar High Court has dismissed a post-arrest bail petition filed by Shahrukh Habib, an accused in a case involving the alleged rape of a minor girl, observing that the material available on record at this stage provided reasonable grounds to connect the petitioner with the alleged occurrence. Justice Syed Mudasser Ameer passed the order while deciding Criminal Miscellaneous Petition, filed by Shahrukh Habib against the State and another. The case relates to an FIR registered on Aug 25, 2026, at Police Station Bagnotar, Abbottabad, under Sections 376 and 328-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 53 of the Child Protection Act. During the hearing, Atif Ali Jadoon, Advocate, appeared for the accused, while Malik Amjad Anayat, Additional Advocate General (AAG), represented the State. Muhammad Yasir Rafique appeared on behalf of the respondent/complainant. According to the order, the complainant, Nosheen Khalid, had initially lodged a report against unknown person(s), alleging that her minor daughter, Mannat Noor, had been subjected to rape. Subsequently, on Aug 28, 2026, she appeared before the Judicial Magistrate, Abbottabad, and recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, specifically nominating the present petitioner and narrating the alleged occurrence.