KARACHI : Phone firm’s manager testifies in kidnap case
By A Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 3: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday recorded the statement of Usman Maftoon, manager of the Warid Telecom Company, in the kidnapping for ransom case of Dr Abdul Wahab. The doctor was kidnapped allegedly by Dr Mohammad Abrar Younus and his wife Huma in the limits of Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police station on April 12.
Judge Ghulam Ali Samtio of ATC-1, who is conducting the trial, issued a bailable arrest warrant for the Telenor Telecom Company manager for not appearing in court.The court had summoned representatives of the telecom companies to produce the record of telephone calls made by the kidnappers for demanding a ransom from the victim’s family.
Telephone 0321-8721899 (of Warid company) owned by Dr Wahab was reportedly snatched by the abductors to make calls at telephone 0321-2537667.
A telephone (0345-2537667) of the Telenor Telecom Company which was owned by Huma, the alleged kidnapper’s wife, was also used for making calls to 0321-2537667 to demand the ransom. The calls were made from April 12 to April 16.
The court had ordered the production of the record of telephone Sims and duration of calls after an objection raised by the defence counsel that the accused had no concern with the said telephone numbers.
The court directed the Telenor manager to produce the record of telephone calls and about the Sim to the court on Oct 4.
According to the prosecution the abductors had invited the kidnap victim to their residence in North Karachi on the pretext of celebrating the circumcision of a child, but on his arrival they tied him to a bed and demanded Rs300,000 for his release.
As a result of the telephone negotiations, the abductors agreed to accept Rs40,000. They had asked his wife, Meraj Bano, to bring the amount to a certain place close to their residence.
The abductors were riding a motorcycle. As they received the amount the police and Anti-Violent Crime Cell staff arrested them and recovered the doctor on April 15.
