A district and session court has granted interim bail to Special Assistant to prime minister (SAPM) Atta Tarar in Punjab Assembly riot case registered by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi over hooliganism during the April 16 election.

According to details, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders – including Atta Tarar and Rana Mashood – appeared before the sessions court along with his counsel seeking his interim bail.

At the onset of the hearing, the PML-N leaders requested to record their statement in the courtroom instead of police station. “The investigating officer (IO) has not appeared before the court since the beginning of the case,” Rana Mashood said.

The additional sessions judge inquired that the assembly members have accused Atta Tarar of torture. To which, the special assistant respond in negative.

Rana Mashood argued that the SAPM was not present in the assembly on the day the incident, accusing the provincial government of political victimization.

After hearing the arguments, the judge granted interim bail to Attaullah Tarar and directed him to submit surety bonds of Rs50,000.

It is pertinent to mention here that the police raided residence of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar in the wee hours on Saturday after he failed to appear before a probe team investigating the May 25 incidents.

The raided was carried out at the residence of Attaullah Tarar in G-3 Johar Town Lahore, however, he was not present at his home. No one was arrested during the police raid at his home.

Tarar was served a notice to appear before the investigating team probing torture on PTI activists during Azadi March on May 25.