Court grants bail to anchorperson Iqrarul Hassan, lawyer confirms

On Saturday, a judicial magistrate in Karachi granted bail to anchorperson Iqrarul Hassan, following his arrest by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for allegedly spreading anti-state, false, and defamatory content on social media. His lawyer, Advocate Ahmad Masood, confirmed the bail to Dawn. Hassan was booked under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and was held in judicial custody in Karachi.

The bail amount was set at Rs200,000, with surety bonds. His electronic devices were taken into possession by the authorities. During the hearing, the NCCIA mentioned that no further investigation was required but awaited a forensic report. On October 22, the same magistrate rejected Hassan's bail plea, leading his defense to challenge the decision in a higher court.

The NCCIA submitted a remand report during the October 22 hearing, stating that the investigation had progressed, but some crucial aspects needed forensic analysis of Hassan's seized digital devices and records from other departments, including the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

On October 19, the judicial magistrate placed Hassan in prison for eight days, pending a bail application by October 26. On October 17, Hassan appeared before the magistrate after completing a four-day physical remand. The NCCIA had requested an additional 10 days of custody for questioning, but the magistrate denied it, granting the agency two more days.