Muneeb Butt granted interim bail by Karachi ATC amid probe into kidnapping case

Pakistani actor Muneeb Ahmed Butt was granted interim bail by a Karachi anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday amid an investigation into an alleged kidnapping and cryptocurrency theft case. Butt has not been formally booked in the case but is being investigated for allegedly helping two suspects evade arrest. The court fixed June 8 as the date for confirmation or otherwise of the bail.

Why is Muneeb Butt being investigated in the kidnapping case?

Muneeb Butt is under investigation for allegedly facilitating two of the four suspects arrested in the case while they were hiding in Islamabad after the incident. He has not been charged or formally booked. He secured protective bail from the Islamabad High Court before surrendering before the Karachi ATC and filing a pre-arrest bail application as a precautionary measure.

What happened to the kidnapping victim?

The case stems from the alleged abduction of Mutaal Khan, a Karachi-based forex and cryptocurrency trader, on April 22. Khan told police he was travelling by taxi to the airport when four armed men in a white double-cabin vehicle intercepted him near Shahrah-e-Faisal. The suspects, dressed in blue uniforms, forced him into their vehicle at gunpoint, claiming he had caused a traffic accident.

Over roughly 45 minutes, the suspects drove Khan to multiple locations. They forced him to unlock his iPhone 17 Pro and transferred 8,600 USDT, equivalent to nearly PKR 2.5 million, from his cryptocurrency account. His MacBook M4 laptop and two mobile phones were also taken before he was abandoned in Karachi's Korangi Industrial Area around 10:45 p.m.

Who was arrested in connection with the case?

Police arrested four suspects identified as Hamza, Saalim, Shahid and Wazir. A police constable was also booked as an additional suspect in the case. The FIR was registered at Karachi's Airport police station under Section 365-A (kidnapping for extortion), Section 392 (robbery), and Section 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

What did the Karachi anti-terrorism court decide?

After hearing arguments from Butt's counsel, the ATC granted him interim bail against a surety bond of PKR 100,000. The next hearing is scheduled for June 8, when the court will decide on confirmation or otherwise of the bail. Butt had earlier obtained protective bail from the Islamabad High Court before appearing before the Karachi court.