KARACHI, Feb 21: A judicial magistrate on Tuesday raided a beverage factory and recovered three men apparently kept there in wrongful confinement.

On a directive of the district and sessions court (west), Judicial Magistrate Ashfaq Ahmed Nizamani carried out a raid along with applicant Shagufta Parveen on the production unit of the beverage firm in the SITE area and found the three men — Rafaqat, Javed and Zubair — detained there.

The magistrate released the men and directed the management of the factory and the victims to appear before the district and sessions court on Wednesday.

Ms Parveen through her lawyer moved an application under Section 491 of the criminal procedure code stating that her husband, Rafaqat, was an employee at the factory in question and he had been detained there for the past couple of days following a dispute with his employers.

She maintained that her husband was being kept at the factory against the law and prayed to the court for his recovery.

After a preliminary hearing, the district and sessions judge (west) directed the judicial magistrate to carry out a raid on the information of the applicant and recover the victim if found in unlawful detention.

Court sources said that the victims appeared to be kept there in illegal confinement.

The magistrate would also submit his report in court on Wednesday.