KARACHI: Executive of another phone firm testifies in kidnap case
By A Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 4: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday recorded the statement of Norbert Almeida, Assistant Manager, Telenor Telecom Company, in the kidnap case of Dr Abdul Wahab.
The doctor was allegedly kidnapped by Dr Mohammad Abrar Younus and his wife Huma in the limits of Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police station on April 12, 2007.
Judge Ghulam Ali Samtio of ATC-I, who is conducting the trial, had already recorded the statement of Usman Maftoon, Manager, Warid Telecom Company, in the case on Oct 3.
The court had issued bailable arrest warrants for Mr Almeida for his failure to appear in court to testify in the case.
Telephone connections of the two companies, 0321-8721899 (owned by Dr Wahab) and 0345-2537667 (owned by Huma) were used for making ransom calls to 0321-2537667 on April 12 and 16.
The court had ordered the production of the record of these two mobile phone connections and duration of the calls after an objection was raised by the defence counsel that the accused had nothing to do with these telephone numbers. The court had directed the Telenor official to produce the record of telephone calls made through the Telenor’s number on Oct 4.
Mr Almeida appeared in court and produced the required record which proved that the telephone No: 0345-2537667 had been used to make ransom calls on April 15, 2007.
The Special Public Prosecutor, Niamat Ali Randhawa, told the court that some of the calls from the same telephone number had been made minutes before handing over the ransom amount to the accused.
The court fixed Oct 5 for an inspection of the site of the incident and the place of the captivity of the kidnap victim.
According to the prosecution, the abductors had invited Dr Abdul Wahab to their residence in North Karachi on the pretext of celebrating the circumcision of their 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 nearby their residence.
As they received the amount, the police and the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) staff arrested them and recovered the doctor on April 15.
Airhostess’s case
Judicial Magistrate-V, Malir, Zakaullah Abro on Thursday fixed Oct 19 for the indictment of a PIA airhostess in a case pertaining to the recovery of an unlicensed revolver from her handbag while she was passing through the domestic departure lounge of the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport to board a flight.
The Airport Security Force arrested the airhostess, Iram Ara, after the recovery of the revolver and bullets on Aug 13 before she could board the Gwadar-Quetta-Turbat flight. An FIR (No.34/07) was registered under Section 13/E of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance-1965 against her by the Airport Police.
On Aug 15, she was produced before the magistrate, who granted her bail in a sum of Rs13,000.
According to reports, the revolver happens to be rusted and unloaded. Its bullets were also kept separate.
