KARACHI: Witness identifies accused in murder case
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 6: The sister-in-law of a man, who was kidnapped for ransom and later murdered by his captors, identified on Thursday four accused before an anti-terrorism court.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Saturday for the next hearing after the deposition by Ms Rubina, who recognised the four accused with their specific roles in the case.
The 30-year-old victim, father of an infant girl, was kidnapped on Oct 10, 2004 when he was on his way on his motorcycle in North Nazimabad. His bullet-riddled body was found at a desolate place near Sohrab Goth on Oct 12 after the victim’s family failed to pay the ransom.
Ms Rubina, who was the wife of victim’s elder brother, deposed that the kidnappers initially demanded Rs2.5 million for Ali’s release. She said she along with the wife, daughter and siblings of the victim went to negotiate the ransom with the kidnappers in the afternoon on Oct 11.
Identifying accused Fayyaz and Rehan, the woman said the two accused had come at the designated place in North Nazimabad for receiving the ransom money.
She said the victim’s family could take with them only Rs100,000 and accused Fayyaz refused to accept the amount and asked them to bring Rs500,000 near Ziauddin Hospital in North Nazimabad at 8pm.
She said victim’s wife, Samina, put her nine-month daughter at the feet of the accused and requested them to release her husband. She said she and victim’s sister, Gul Bano, were also crying for Mohammed Ali’s release.
The prosecution witness said the family members were still engaged in negotiations with the accused, when a police mobile appeared. She said the accused became jittery and fled after they saw police and heard some gunshots.
She said the police mobile came close to them and they informed the police official about the kidnapping. She said the police took them to the police station where a case was registered and victim’s bother Mohammed Yousuf was made complainant.
The prosecution witness said the accused while leaving the scene had asked the family to send only female members for the delivery of ransom near Ziauddin Hospital at 8pm. She said she along with Gul Bano and Samina reached the designated place with the plain-clothes policemen covering them in a car and four motorcycles.
Identifying accused Jabbar and Imran, the victim’s sister-in-law stated that the two accused came on a bike at the designated place. She said the accused told them that this place was not suitable and they asked the women to come close to a petrol pump near Karimabad Bridge.
She said they reached the place near Karimabad Bridge and offered the accused Rs150,000. The accused, she said, refused to accept the amount. She said while they were still in negotiations with the accused, they heard gunshots and the accused fled the scene threatening them of dire consequences.
S. M. Iqbal appeared for accused Imran, Khawaja Naveed for accused Fayyaz, and Syed Mohammed Ali Shah for accused Rehan and Jabbar. Special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa represented the state.
According to prosecution, accused Fayyaz was arrested along with some other suspects on October 19, 2004 in North Nazimabad by a team of anti-violent crime cell (AVCC), who had gone in the vicinity to arrest some other suspects. A Kalashnikov rifle and other weapons were recovered from the suspects.
Later, during the interrogation, accused Fayyaz revealed to have kidnapped and murdered Mohammed Ali along with his accomplices. The police on his lead arrested other accused on different dates and also recovered the victim’s bike.
CONVOY ATTACK CASE: An anti-terrorism court adjourned the hearing of the corps commander’s convoy attack case against 11 workers of the banned Jundullah group on the request of a defence counsel.
Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 fixed October 12 for the next hearing after defence counsel Mushtaq Ahmed prayed the court to put off the hearing as he was not feeling well.
Ataur Rehman alias Ibrahim, Shahzad Ahmed Bajwah, Yaqoob Saeed, Uzair Ahmed, Shoiab Siddiqui, Danish Inam, Najeebullah, Khurrum Saifullah, Shahzad Mukhtar, Khalid Rao and Adnan Shah alias Tipu have been charged with a series of offences, including attack on the motorcade of Lt-Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat on June 10 last year on the old Clifton bridge, which resulted in the death of six army personnel, three policemen and a passerby.
Mohammed Qasim, Maaz, Shahab, Bilal, Tayyeb, Hammad and Fasih have been declared absconders.
