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KARACHI, Dec 11: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Thursday judgment in a kidnapping for ransom case as the prosecution sought capital punishment for the accused.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Dec 15 for the pronouncement of judgment after hearing final arguments from the prosecution and defence attorneys.
Accused Khalid Abbas and Mohammed Ali have been prosecuted for the kidnapping of a 19-year-old boy on Sept 26 for ransom in the limits of Sir Syed Town police station. They were arrested red-handed while receiving a partial payment from the victim’s paternal uncle.
The accused allegedly kidnapped Adnan, along with his car and demanded Rs1 million for his release. The kidnappers used their victim’s cellular phone for negotiations with his family.
According to prosecution, the family told the kidnappers that they did not have that much amount of money and had only Rs30,000 at their house. The kidnappers asked them to bring Rs30,000 at a desolate place near Nagin Chowrangi.
The family reported the matter to the police and took the money to the kidnappers, accordingly. As the accused were about to receive the money, plainclothes policemen tried to arrest them. However, only one of them, Khalid Abbas, could be arrested and accused Mohammed Ali fled the scene.
Four other accused, who were holding the victim hostage in his car near the place of payment, also fled leaving behind the victim.
Later the police arrested accused Mohammed Ali on a lead given by accused Khalid Abbas.
While forwarding final arguments, special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, who examined in all six witnesses, contended that the accused should be given maximum punishment as the prosecution case stood proved beyond any reasonable doubt.
He submitted that the accused had been caught red-handed by the police when they were receiving partial payment for the release of the victim. Besides, he contended, the victim had identified the two accused with their specific role in the case.
DECLARED ABSCONDERS: Five accused, including a woman, in a kidnapping for ransom case were declared absconders by an anti- terrorism court.
The case pertained to the kidnapping of a 20-year-old man, who remained captive for 52 days and was released after payment of Rs7 million as ransom.
Asif Hussain Junejo, son of SSP Mumtaz Junejo, Alauddin Junejo, son of Roshan Junejo, a town nazim from Sanghar, and Rustum Haider were arrested on Nov 1 in the case.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 fixed Dec 18 for formal indictment of the three arrested accused after declaring accused Ms Natasha alias Sonia, Zeeshan alias Burger, Abu Sufiyan, Haji Mashooq Brohi, and Rafique Jatt son of Dawood Jatt as absconders.
Syed Raza Abbas Zaidi was allegedly kidnapped on Aug 30 from near Country Club Apartments, Sea View, where he had reached to meet Natasha on her request. The woman had allegedly called the victim on his cellular phone. The next day, victim’s maternal uncle, Mansoor Javed, lodged an FIR against unknown kidnappers with the Darakhshan police.
According to prosecution, represented by special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum, accused Rustum along with absconding accused Zeeshan, Abu Sufiyan and Rafique Jatt kidnapped Syed Raza Abbas as he waited for the woman. The kidnappers also took away victim’s car and later abandoned it within the limits of the Buffer Zone police.
The kidnapper initially demanded 20 million as ransom for the release of Raza. However, they agreed to release the victim for a ransom of Rs7 million after a series of negotiations with the family.
Accused Rustum, who was on a Honda 125CC bike, allegedly received the ransom money from Mohammed Irfan, a cousin of the victim, at a desolate place along the Hub River road on October 20 and released the victim accordingly.
According to prosecution, accused Asif Junejo and Mumtaz Junejo were also present in a Suzuki Mehran at a close distance when Rustum received the money. Rustum allegedly handed over the money bag to the two occupants of the car.
It was alleged that the accused was kept at a house owned by absconding accused Haji Mashooq Brohi.
