ISLAMABAD: Three people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in abusing a child and efforts are ongoing to arrest their accomplice, police said on Wednesday.

They said the arrests were made after a man lodged a complaint with the police in which he said his 13-year-old son had been abused by the suspects. A case was registered under Pakistan Penal Code section 377-B.

Police said the suspects also filmed the victim and blackmailed him. The child was abused for more than a month, during which time he stole Rs200,000 from his home to give to the suspects.

The investigating officer in the case, Assistant Sub-Inspector Zahid Hameed told Dawn that three suspects were arrested and produced in the court of the magistrate for a physical remand. They were remanded into police custody for four days.

He said all three suspects were working at a store in the jurisdiction of the Kohsar police, and their accomplice worked at a house and was still at large.

He added that the victim underwent a medical examination, the final report of which was awaited.

Mr Hameed said the parents of the victim learned of the incident after the child’s mother found more than Rs200,000 missing. The child confessed to stealing the money and told her what had happened, he said.

He added that more than Rs100,000 has been recovered, while the remaining sum is in the possession of the fourth suspect, who has disappeared from the house where he is employed.

However, Mr Hameed said, his employer has assured that he would be produced before the investigators and that the remaining money would be recovered from him.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2020