KARACHI, Sept 26: An anti-terrorism court acquitted on Monday two alleged activists of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba in a case pertaining to possession of objectionable sectarian material.
Judge Ferpze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 exonerated Abdul Ghaffar and Ali Akbar from charges. The two were allegedly arrested on July 20 in a madressah in Gulshan-i-Hadeed by the police.
While giving them benefit of the doubt, the judge remarked that the evidence, led by the prosecution, was not trustworthy and confidence-inspiring and it could not be safely relied upon or believed.
The judge observed that the prosecution failed to bring on record charges against the accused as their presence was only shown in the madressah, while the possession of the objectionable material was not shown from them.
Defence counsel Maqboolur Rehman contended that the prosecution could not prove affiliation of his clients with the maderssah.
It also could not establish whether the madressah was linked with any sect or banned outfit, he argued.
RANSOM CASE: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 put off the hearing of kidnapping and murder case of a man against four accused after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Tuesday for the next hearing after the statement by Mohammed Yousuf, the complainant and brother of the victim.
Fayyaz alias Papu, Mohammad Rehan Khan, Abdul Jabbar and Imran are facing charges of kidnapping and murdering Mohammed Ali on Oct 10, 2004, in North Nazimabad.
According to prosecution, the accused demanded Rs2.5 million for the release of the abducted person from the family. As the family could not arrange the ransom, the accused killed the hostage and later his body was found at a desolate place in Sohrab Goth.
