KARACHI: Hearing of two boys’ murder case adjourned
By A Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 11: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday adjourned for Oct 12 the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom and murder case of two boys, who were kidnapped in the limits of the Korangi police station on May 21, 2007.
Judge Abdul Ghafoor Memon of ATC-II criticised the investigation officer, Mohammad Babar of the Anti-Violent Crime Cell, for not producing the witnesses in court to testify.
Earlier, defence counsel Ashfaq Rafiq Janjua had submitted an application to the court against the investigation officer, stating that the IO was using delaying tactics and not producing the witnesses in court.
He said if the IO continued the practice it would cause wastage of precious time and the case would be further prolonged.
The IO told the court that he had gone to Hyderabad on official duty to take into custody the accused who were arrested in another kidnapping for ransom case in the interior of Sindh.
The IO assured the court that he would produce the prosecution witnesses today (Friday) in court for recording their testimonies.The court asked Special Public Prosecutor Niamat Ali Randhawa to produce the witnesses in court for evidence.
Four witnesses had testified on Oct 9 and recalled how two boys kidnapped in Korangi were found dead in the same locality when their families failed to pay ransom to the abductors.
Seven-year-old Sajid Ilyas Masih, son of Ilyas Masih, and nine-year-old Ubaid Riaz Masih, son of Riaz Masih, were kidnapped in Christian Para, New Abadi, an area that falls within the jurisdiction of the Korangi police, on May 21, 2007.
Their bodies were found on May 30.
According to the prosecution, the boys were allegedly kidnapped by Asif Masih, son of Anwar Masih, Rehman Dakait and Asal Din. The police registered an FIR (172/07) under Section 302 (punishment of Qatl-i-amd) and Section 365-A (kidnapping or abduction for extorting property, valuable security, etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7-E (punishment for acts of terrorism including the offence of kidnapping for ransom) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
According to the prosecution, one of the kidnappers, who identified himself as Rehman Dakait, demanded a ransom of Rs2 million.The victims’ families repeatedly told the abductors that they were unable to pay such a huge amount. The kidnappers then killed the boys and disposed of the victims’ bodies stuffed in sacks.
