KARACHI, Dec 21 An eye-witness in a kidnapping for ransom case identified on Tuesday one of the six accused, who included sons of three senior government officials.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 put off hearing till Wednesday after the statement of Saleem Ahmed Lakhani, a middle-man dealing in rent-a-car business.
The gang of kidnappers, comprising sons of a senior superintendent of police, a senior preventive officer of Customs and a deputy controller of the Karachi Building Control Authority, was busted in mid-September.
The accused - Fida Hussain Khoso, son of SSP Nadir Khoso, Junaid Ansari, son of KBCA official Abdul Rehman Ansari, Khalid Aziz, Qurban Ali Khoso, Abdur Rasheed, Atique Bajwah and Shahzad Ahmed - were charged with the kidnapping of Ahmed Naeem, who was released after payment of ransom in Manchester.
PW Lakhani, a bed-ridden patient of kidney disease, was brought in a private car from the hospital and the judge recorded his statement in the compound of the court as witness remained lying in the car.
The prosecution witness stated that he had arranged a rented car for accused Junaid Ansari from a dealer, Mohammed Ali. He said on June 8 he handed the car to Ansari who returned it on June 18 with the payment.
Khawaja Naveed, counsel for accused Ansari, also cross-examined the prosecution witness. He suggested that PW Lakhani was deposing against his client at the behest of police.
The witness, however, rebutted the defence counsel's claim. Five gang members - Mujeebur Rehman Bhutto, Khalid Aziz, Himmat Ali Khoso, Niaz Khoso and Yasir Khoso - have been declared absconders.
Suspects Mujeeb Khan Bhutto and Ghulam Murtaza Khan Bhutto, both sons of SPO Rano Khan Bhutto, and their alleged accomplice Saeed Naqi were arrested in Manchester immediately after delivery of ransom and subsequent release of the victim, Ahmed Naeem, son of a Mercedes car dealer, in Karachi.
A special team of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and Anti-violence Crime Cell (AVCC) started investigation after the victim's father, Mohammed Ahmed of Shahnawaz Motors, reported the matter to the authorities.
The investigators intercepted ransom calls originating from Manchester. The kidnappers called the victim's family and initially demanded Rs50 million for his release. However, after a series of negotiations on phone from Manchester, the kidnapper agreed to the ransom of 56,000 pounds sterling (Rs6.1 million).
SUMMONED: A judicial magistrate summoned an army officer, who was the head of court of an inquiry commission against Major Mohammad Zargham Mirza. The court fixed Jan 10 for recording statement of Col Arif Butt in the process of a private complaint filed by the major.
Major Zargham Mirza had earlier lodged a direct complaint before a judicial magistrate for registration of a criminal case against 20 respondents, including Jamil Yousuf and A.D. Khawaja, under section 182, 500 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the army officer, he was implicated in a false case by the respondents, who hatched a conspiracy to defame the Pakistan Army. Those made respondents in the complaint included Zaeem Iqbal, ASP, Lubna Tiwana, then SHO of Women Police Station, Inspector Abdul Hakim Bangash, Azhar Ellahi and Sharf Memon.
Later, the judicial magistrate dismissed the complaint after recording the statements of over a dozen witnesses. The main ground for dismissing the major's complaint was a fake letter allegedly sent by Major Noor Karim to the court through post. The letter stated that Major Zargham was found guilty in the court of inquiry commission.
Afterwards, the army officer filed another complaint in the court seeking action against Major Noor Karim. The court recorded the statement of Major Niaz of Central Officers Record Office (CORO), who deposed that the said letter was bogus. He further stated that Major Zargham was retired as Lt-Colonel after completing his "long and meritorious service in the army".
