November 12, 2008	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 13, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 11: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday recorded the statement of a judicial magistrate in a kidnapping for ransom and murder case.

Syed Mohsin Raza alias Javed, Syed Adnan Raza, Nazia and, the wife of Mohsin, Shazia, were charged with kidnapping a customs clearing agent, Suhrab Khan, for ransom and later killing him.

The judicial magistrate, Abdul Sattar Soomro, who had conducted the identification parade of the suspect, Mohsin Raza, appeared in court and testified.

The judicial magistrate told the court that he had conducted the identification parade after completing all legal formalities and a witness, Mohammad Ali, identified the suspect during the parade.

The defence counsel, Mushtaq Ahmed, cross-examined the judicial magistrate and said that the identification parade was not held as per the legal procedure while the witness had not assigned any role to the suspect.

Mohammad Ali, a friend of the deceased and stated to be an eyewitness, also appeared in court. However he could not testify due to paucity of time.

The judge, Ali Bukhari of the ATC-I, adjourned the hearing till Nov 12.

According to the prosecution, Suhrab was kidnapped on June 21 in the limits of Gulbahar police and kidnappers demanded Rs80,000 for his release, but they allegedly shot him dead after getting the ransom.

His body was found in his car (ANY-650) parked in the Gulbahar area the following day.

On July 22, the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) acting on a tip-off raided a place in the Super Market area and arrested the suspects.

The charge-sheet said that a co-accused, Nazia, worked in a showroom in North Karachi and developed contacts with the victim over the telephone and later, she introduced him to her friend, Shazia.

The two women got him to come to a house at Talib Colony in Liaqatabad where the accused overpowered him and demanded ransom for his release, it added.

The police registered a case under Sections 365-A and 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code at Gulbahar police station on the complaint of the deceased’s brother Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

Meanwhile the same court on Tuesday recorded the statement of an accused in a kidnapping for ransom case of a five-year-old boy and his driver in October 2007. The latter was subsequently killed.

Nisar Ahmed, Shahzad Masih, and Munir Masih were charged with kidnapping Mohammad Rehan, and his driver, Irfan, along with the vehicle on Oct 2, 2007 in the limits of the Frere police station for a ransom of Rs500,000.

Later, after receiving the money, they released the boy but allegedly killed the driver.

The accused, Nasir Ahmed, denied the charges and said that he had been living in Rawalpindi for over last two years and the police had implicated him in the case.

The counsel for the accused also produced two defence witnesses in court.

They said that the police had arrested Nasir Ahmed in Rawalpindi while the other accused were also not involved in the case and were implicated in the case.

The special public prosecutor, Mohammad Khan Buriro, cross-examined the accused and the defence witnesses.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Nov 17 for final arguments.

A case (FIR No.222/07) was registered under Sections 365-A and 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code against the accused on the complaint of one Shahid.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of AVCU conducted a raid in the limits of the Mehmoodabad police station on Oct 10, 2007 and arrested the accused.

Verdict deferred

An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday deferred the judgment in a woman’s kidnapping for ransom case till Nov 13.

Mohammad Ikramullah was charged with kidnapping a woman, Mahnaz, along with her vehicle on April 29 in the limits of Gizri police station for ransom.

However, the accused allegedly released the woman on the same day after getting the ransom but did not return her vehicle.

Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid near a shrine on Mauripur Road on June 10 and arrested the accused.

A case was registered under Section 365-A of the Pakistan Penal Code and under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at Gizri police station on the complaint of the victim’s husband.