September 22, 2005	Thursday	Sha'aban 17, 1426

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PESHAWAR, Sept 21: Additional district and sessions judge Shahid Khan on Wednesday ordered medical examination of a person charged with desecration of the Holy Quran. The court fixed Sept 27 for next hearing and directed that the medical board should ascertain the mental status of the accused.

Earlier on Sept 14, the court had reserved its order on the bail petition of accused Muhammad Rehman and had fixed Sept 21 for pronouncing the order.

In the meanwhile, the counsel for the accused moved an application, stating that the accused-petitioner was suffering from some mental ailment and his medical examination might be conducted.

Applicant Rehman was arrested by the Gulbahar police after Maulana Mohammad Shafiq, the prayer-leader of Farooq-i-Azam mosque at Akhundabad No 4, had lodged a case against him on July 19. The man, aged 22, was charged under section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code dealing with the offence of defiling the Holy Quran.

The prosecution stated that the man was engaged in a quarrel with his father when his mother tried to calm him down, but in vain.

She brought a copy of the Holy Quran, asking her son to stop the altercation. In a fit of anger, the prosecution claimed, the accused threw away the Holy Quran.

The mother started hue and cry. Neighbours gathered and upon learning about the

occurrence they informed the prayer-leader who lodged the FIR.

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