KARACHI, Feb 2: A minor son of a trader who was kidnapped for ransom identified on Thursday three accused before an anti-terrorism court. Judge Syed Saghir Hussain Zaidi of the ATC-3 fixed Friday for the next hearing after special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa examined victim’s son, Haseebur Rehman, as a prosecution witness.
Akram alias Shaheen, Gul Hasan Brohi, Abdul Jalil are being prosecuted for kidnapping Zakir Rehman, a grain dealer, and his two sons. They were released after the payment of Rs3.4 million.
The trader was going home on his bike on Oct 15 last when eight occupants of a Suzuki pick-up intercepted him in Chakiwara and took him away at gunpoint. Later, they demanded Rs4 million from his wife for his release.
The minor son of the victim deposed that on Oct 25, 2005 he along with mother, brother and paternal uncle went to meet the kidnappers at Chakiwara where the three accused received Rs500,000 as part payment of ransom.
He stated that the kidnappers, however, took him and his 13-year-old brother with them in a Suzuki pick-up parked in a nearby lane. He said the accused took them to a house where the two brothers met his father. He said he and his brother slept in that house and they did not find their father there when they woke up in the morning.
According to prosecution, the kidnappers released the trader after making his sons hostage. The accused allegedly asked the trader to pay the remaining Rs3.5 million for the release of his children.
It was alleged that after 10 days the trader, along with other family, members again went to meet the kidnappers and got the children released after paying them further Rs2.9 million. Zakir Rehman finally reported the matter to the police after the kidnappers kept on demanding remaining Rs600,000 from him and threatened him of dire consequences in case of non-payment.
Earlier, the prosecution had examined the elder son of the victim, who also gave an identical statement and identified the three accused.
The police initially arrested Akram alias Shaheen, Gul Hasan Brohi, Abdul Jalil, Abdus Salam and Nadir. However, later the ATC-3 ordered the release of Nadir after the police withdrew charges against him under Section 169 of the CrPC.
The police submitted chargesheet against four accused and showed eight others as absconding accused. The absconders were: Razzaq Commando, Serwer, Shahid, Faiz, Abdul Hameed, Mohammed Rashid, Mohammad Ayub and Khuda Bux.
Later, the ATC-3 acquitted Abdus Salam on an application under Section 265-K. The accused submitted before the court that he was already in the judicial custody and was lodged at the District Malir jail on Oct 15, 2004 when the incident occurred.
