GUJRAT: Hafizabad police have registered two more cases against the suspects involved in the spinal fluid scam under Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) along with other relevant sections.

Earlier, the suspects had been booked in a case on the report of father of one of the victim women. There are now three cases registered against the suspects.

Polygraph tests of two main suspects -- Nadeem and Sajid Masih -- were also conducted at the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory in Lahore on Wednesday. At least three suspects will now be presented before the Gujranwala Anti-Terrorism Court on Thursday (today).

Hafiz Ahmed Jamal, the spokesman for Hafizabad police, told Dawn that ringleader Nadeem and Masih had been taken to the forensic laboratory for their polygraph test since Nadeem had consistently been changing his statements during the interrogation whereas a link between the two was also to be established as Sajid had denied any association with Nadeem.

Hafizabad police lodged two separate cases on Wednesday on the complaints of a woman and man whose daughter and wife, respectively, were among the victims whose spinal fluid had been tapped by the suspects unwittingly. In addition to the complainants, police mentioned at least four more women in both these cases.

These cases were lodged against Nadeem, his cousin Irfan, Aslam and his wife Amna Bibi under sections 324, 420, 170, 171 of Pakistan Penal Code and 6/7 ATA on the reports of Shazia Bibi and Saifullah - both residents of Hafizabad.

However, Masih, a sweeper at the DHQ hospital to whom Nadeem allegedly sold the fluid extracted from the spinal cords of victim women, was yet to be nominated in any of the three cases. He had been taken into custody for investigation for his possible link with the gang as police could not achieve any breakthrough regarding his confession.

Nadeem, Irfan and Aslam were produced in the court of area magistrate on Wednesday after completion of their two-day physical remand and police were given a transit remand for a night. They will be produced before the Gujranwala ATC on Thursday (today). Amna has been on judicial remand in the district jail and was likely to be produced in the ATC today.

At least 23 women have so far complained of being duped by the gang operative in the area for more than two months. They recorded their statements to police and their medical examination was conducted at the Hafizabad DHQ hospital. MRI scan of five victims was also conducted at Lahore General Hospital.

A five-member inquiry committee was likely to complete its work by today. Police said the reports of MRI scans and polygraph tests were yet to be received.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2018