September 21, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 20, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 20: An additional district and sessions judge recorded on Saturday the statements of four police officials in a case registered against the alleged gangster of Lyari, Arshad Pappu and others.

Sub-inspectors Safdar, Ramzan, Sarfaraz and ASI Mohammad Sadiq appeared in court and recorded their testimonies. The judge, Noman Memon, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, adjourned the hearing till Oct 11.

The prosecution said the SHO of the Pak Colony police station along with a police party, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid to arrest Arshad Papoo along with his associates from a hideout at Lashari Chowk on March 18, 2002. However, they escaped after a shootout with the police.

A case was registered against the accused on behalf of the state under Section 353/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Pak Colony police station.

Afreen Baig’s murder

An additional district and sessions court adjourned the hearing of the Afreen Baig murder case till Oct 11 since the judge was on leave.

The trail is being conducted inside the central prison.According to the prosecution, Afreen Baig, a TV artiste and producer, was killed at her DHA residence in October 2004 allegedly by her driver, Mohammad Bukhsh Umrani, and his wife, Zahida. Her husband, Farooq Mengal, is alleged to have masterminded the murder. The victim’s driver and his wife, who was a maid at Mengal’s house, are co-accused, while Zahida has been declared absconder in the case.

Couple’s murder

An additional district and sessions court, west, recorded argument from both sides on a bail application of an accused in a couple’s murder case and reserved the order till Sept 22.

One of the suspects, Rashida, through her counsel had earlier moved a bail application to the court.Kashif Ali Khan, a bank manager, and his wife, Mehwish, were found shot dead in their Taisar Town residence on Nov 21, 2007.

After a preliminary investigation, Surjani Town police arrested Asadullah and his wife, Rashida, and registered a case (FIR No 384/2007) of the double murder under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state when the relatives of the deceased refused to lodge a case.

According to the prosecution, Asadullah confessed to having killed the couple with help of his wife.