KARACHI: Kidnapping accused given in police custody
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 23: The Sindh High Court administrative judge for anti-terrorism courts remanded two men accused of kidnapping a Saddar hotel owner and receiving Rs 10 million for his release to police custody on Tuesday.Malik Nasir, 29, and Ali Raza, 25, were arrested by the anti-robbery cell after a shoot-out at Kalri on May 20. They told the police during interrogation that they kidnapped Mohammad Hamid, proprietor of Paradise Hotel, Saddar, in August 2005 and received Rs 10 million as ransom for his release from his brother, Mohammad Faheem. Asif Patel, Faisal Ansari, Qaiser alias Kala, Sohail alias DC, Imran and Waseem were their accomplices in the crime. The first-named three are already in jail in another case.
The anti-violent crime cell, which had registered the kidnapping case in August 2005, took the two accused into custody and produced them before the administrative judge for physical remand. The police said the remand was needed for further investigation and identification parade.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain remanded the accused till May 29.
IMTIAZ’S TRIAL: The hearing of a petition moved by former revenue minister Imiaz Ahmad Shaikh and co-accused Atteq Ahmed Siddiqui for transfer of a kidnapping-for-ransom case against them was adjourned by a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Mrs Qaiser Iqbal, to a date in office.
The petitioners submitted through Advocate Fareed Ahmed Dayo that they did not expect fair trial as Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch, a former practising lawyer, was politically partisan. They requested that the case be transferred to an anti-terrorism court headed by a judicial officer.
TANKER ATTACHED: Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, meanwhile, ordered the attachment of a water tanker involved in the killing of the SHC protocol officer, Mohammad Akbar, on May 17.
Advocates Nasir Maqsood and Aamir Maqsood have filed a suit for recovery of Rs 12 million as damages from the owners and driver of the tanker on behalf of the officer’s widow, Ms Ayesha Akbar. They said Akbar was waiting for the green signal in Rizvia Society when the tanker bumped into his stationary motorcycle. Akbar and another motorcyclist, Burhanuddin, were crushed under its wheels. The lawyers said the ‘killer’ vehicle may be shifted from Karachi by the defendants to frustrate a decree. The plaintiff would suffer an irreparable loss if it was not attached.
The court directed the SHO of Rizvia to attach the tanker and keep it till further orders. The excise and taxation authorities were restrained from registering any transfer of the impounded vehicle.
