RAWALPINDI, Dec 20: The Lahore High Court (LHC), Rawalpindi bench, directed the DIG, Rawalpindi, on Thursday to examine the possibility of case registration against the SHO Cantt police station and other police officials for arresting three women from a hotel on charges of “preparing to commit sin”.

Senior judge of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, who had turned the bail application of the women into a habeas corpus petition, on Saturday disposed it of when the police submitted the report, stating that the case against the women had been discharged.

The court directed the DIG, Rawalpindi, to look into the matter and examine the possibility of registration of a case under Qazf. The LHC Rawalpindi bench had released the women on personal bond.

The three women were picked up from a hotel in Rawalpindi for allegedly preparing to commit offence, punishable under sections 13 and 14 of the Hadood Ordinance.

Justice Abbasi, on the petition of the three women, had issued notice to the policemen to explain why a case under Qazf should not be registered against them for dishonouring the citizens.

The women were sent to Adiala Jail alongwith three men, alleged to be their boyfriends. The women applied for bail from the jail which was granted by the additional sessions judge provided they obtained personal surety of some respectable man. They challenged the additional sessions judge’s decision in the Lahore High Court which was turned into a habeas corpus petition by Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi.

The women were summoned in the court and released on personal surety. While censuring SHO Sabir Nadeem, Justice Abbasi observed that staying in a hotel was no offence. He said the police had disgraced the women by raiding their rooms.