KARACHI: ATC rejects plea seeking release in ransom case
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 10: An anti-terrorism court dismissed on Tuesday an application of the prosecution seeking release of an accused in a kidnapping for ransom case. Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed May 19 for formal indictment of accused Mushtq Jatoi, owner of a hotel in Larkana.
The same court had earlier on Jan 18 dismissed the application of the investigation officer seeking release of the accused under Section 169 of the CrPC.
The case pertained to the kidnapping of Dr Abdul Ghafoor Bhutto, director of a marketing company, who was released after payment of Rs2.9 million.
Five armed men kidnapped Mr Bhutto near Gulistan-i-Jauhar on Nov 17, 2004, when he was going to his residence in the DHA. Next day, the Sharea Faisal police registered a case against unknown culprits on the complaint of Ijaz, the brother of victim’s wife.
The kidnappers initially demanded Rs250 million. However, after a series of negotiations, they accepted Rs2.9 million and released the victim on Dec 18, 2004.
Later, the AVCC arrested the accused who had acted as a middleman and received the ransom in three instalments.
The accused had also moved a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court following dismissal of the application of the investigation officer under Section 169 of the CrPC. However, the SHC dismissed the CP.
Then the accused moved on March 2 an application to the Sindh Chief Minister seeking withdrawal of the case against him. The home department submitted a a summary to the CM for withdrawal of the case against accused Mushtaq Jatoi.
The CM approved the summary for withdrawal of the case and a notification to this effect was issued on May 5.
The court on Tuesday heard arguments from special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, who sought withdrawal of the case against Mushtaq Jatoi under Section 494 of the CrPC.
However, the court dismissed the application of prosecution and observed that the case would be decided after recording of the evidence.
KIDNAPPING CASE: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of ATC-3 put off hearing of kidnapping-cum-ransom case against two accused after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.
Earlier, on Oct 18 last, the same court had sentenced two accused -– Khurrum Mushtaq and Ather Ali — to suffer life imprisonment on two counts of kidnapping and murder of the victim, a 20-year-old student.
Victim Raghib Hussain was kidnapped and killed by a gang of five, one of whom posing as a girl on the internet had talked him into going on a date.
Accused Sheeraz Uddin and Asif, who had been declared absconder, were later arrested in December last year.
The victim was kidnapped around 11:30am on April 1 this year and later in the evening he was found unconscious near Singapore Towers.
He was first taken to Jinnah Hospital and then was shifted to Liaquat National Hospital. On April 2, he told his mother that he was kidnapped by his friend, Sheeraz Uddin, who posed him as a girl on the internet.
The victim told the family that on March 31 the imposter asked him into going on a date. He stated that he reached the Rado Centre in Gulistan-i-Jauhar in his Suzuki FX car. He said that Sheeraz along with a girl got into his car and they kidnapped him at gunpoint. They demanded Rs1 million as ransom for his release.
