HARIPUR: Over 30 accused persons, including the principal accused in the Mashal Khan lynching case, on Wednesday pleaded innocent while recording their statements before the anti-terrorism court judge at the Hariput Central Jail.

The court resumed hearing for the second day, where at least 36 accused out of 57 lodged in the district jail, including the principal accused Imran, also a student of AWKU Mardan, pleaded innocent by denying the charges levelled against them by the Mardan police.

Judge Fazal-i-Subhan Khan adjourned the proceedings till Thursday (today).

The court is expected to complete recording the statements of rest of 18 accused on Thursday, which would lead the case near its conclusion.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2018