LARKANA, July 1: The Sindh High Court Larkana circuit bench has issued notices to the District Police Officer Larkana and the SHO Mahota police to appear on July 7, in connection with a petition filed by Ms Bakhtawar Khatoon Aghani.

She had filed a petition alleging that her mother Shahul, being a greedy woman, fraudulently took her to Kandhkot and married off to Ali Sher Khoso while she was married to Gada Hussain Aghani since last 16 years. Prior to this second illegal marriage, she accused Mumtaz Leghari for sexually assaulting her. She in her petition said that she had managed to escape from the Kandhkot and reached back to her first legal husband in Aghani village.

She said her mother and sister - Shahul and Aijaz Khatoon - had approached the DPO Larkana accusing her two cousins Manzoor and Tasleem in false compliant about her (petitioner’s) murder at the hands of her husband. It was quite untrue as she was herself present in the court along with the advocate Faiz Muhammed Larik. The SHO Mahota police station had arrested her two cousins and kept them in illegal confinement she said, while he was constantly pressing and harassing her not to make any hue and cry against them.

She prayed the court to restrain SHO Mahota police station from harassing her in any manner and get the statement of the petitioner recorded. If any cognizable offence was made out it should be entered into book and proceeded under 154 Cr P.C in accordance with law. The DPO Larkana should be asked to provide the couple legal protection. Mr Justice Ali Saindino Metlo adjourned the petition till July 7, and notices were issued to the DPO Larkana and SHO Mahota to appear on that day.