KARACHI, Sept 8: An anti-terrorism court put off on Thursday the hearing of a murder and kidnapping for ransom case of a six-year-old boy after recording the statement of the victim’s father.

Mohammed Tariq has been charged with murdering and kidnapping Mohammed Siddique, the son of his wife’s brother Mohammed Raees.

The accused allegedly took away the boy on Jan 1 when he was playing outside his house in Korangi. At midnight, the alleged kidnapper strangled the boy as he did not stop crying for going back home. He allegedly buried the boy in his house in the same vicinity, and demanded Rs2 million as ransom on phone.

Mohammed Raees deposed before the ATC-3, headed by Judge Arshad Noor Khan, that kidnapper Tariq was arrested red-handed on Jan 7 at a PCO in Korangi.

The victim’s father submitted that the accused initially demanded Rs2 million for the release of his son, but he later agreed on Rs1 million after a series of negotiations.

Giving details, Mohammed Raees stated that on Jan 7 the accused called him on his cellular phone and demanded the ransom. He said the accused told him that he would again call him to tell the place where he would receive the ransom. He said around 9:30pm the kidnapper again asked him to bring the money near a signboard at Korangi No. 2½.

The victim’s father stated that he reached the designated point to deliver the ransom on the advice of the police and CPLC officials who also stationed themselves at some distance. However, he said, the caller did not turn up and after 20 minutes he again called on his phone from a nearby PCO. He said he was still talking to him when the police and CPLC officials tracked him down and arrested at the PCO.

Mohammed Raees deposed that the accused broke down after being caught red-handed and confessed to have killed Siddique. He then led the police and CPLC officials to his house from where the body was recovered. He said a video was also filmed when the body was exhumed.

Defence counsel Fahim Riyaz Siddiqui also cross-examined the victim’s father. The judge fixed Saturday for the next hearing.

VAN ATTACK CASE: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 put off the hearing of the rangers van attack case against two workers of the banned Jundullah group after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.