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KARACHI, Sept 13: An anti-terrorism court dismissed on Tuesday the acquittal application of Bashir Khan Awan, who has been charged with attempting to murder DIG Investigation Karachi Manzoor Mughal.
Defence counsel Ms Raana Khan had moved the acquittal plea before Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 under Section 265-K of the CrPC.
DIG investigation escaped unhurt from life attempt allegedly committed by the accused who came to the DIG’s office to submit an application.
Bashir Awan was booked under Sections 452/353/324/506-B of the PPC and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at Mithadar police station.
MURDER-CUM-RANSOM CASE: An anti-terrorism court put off the hearing of a murder and kidnapping for ransom case of a six-year-old boy after recording the statement of the accused.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Sept 15 for the next hearing after the statement of accused Mohammed Tariq, who has been charged with murdering and kidnapping the six-year-old son of his wife’s brother Mohammed Raees, a scrap dealer.
The accused allegedly took away Mohammed Siddique in the evening 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 from his brother-in-law as ransom on phone.
Tariq was the husband of Raees’ younger sister and he was arrested red-handed on Jan 7 at a public call office (PCO) in Korangi while making a phone call on his cellular phone after being tracked down by a special team of police and Citizen-Police Liaison Committee.
The accused initially demanded Rs2 million for the release of the minor boy, but later agreed to Rs1 million after a series of negotiations.
On Jan 7, the accused called the victim’s father on his cellular phone around 7pm and demanded the ransom.
The accused told him that he would again call him to tell the place where he would receive the ransom. Around 9:30pm, the kidnapper again called and asked him to bring the money near a signboard at Korangi
No 2½.
The victim’s father 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, the caller did not turn up and after 20 minutes, he again called on his phone from a nearby PCO. The alleged kidnapper was still talking to the victim’s father on phone when the police and CPLC officials tracked down him and arrested him at the PCO.
The accused allegedly broke down after being caught red-handed and admitted to have killed the boy. He then led the police and CPLC officials to his house where the body of his son was recovered.
Earlier, before the statement of the accused, the court watched the video film on the request of special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa.
BENAZIR CASE: An accountability court adjourned the hearing of a corruption reference against former Premier Benazir Bhutto and others after hearing arguments by one of the accused.
Judge Parkash Lal Ambwani of the AC-4 fixed Wednesday for the next hearing after defence counsel Hafeez Lakho for accused Ghulam Qadir Jamote submitted his arguments.
The reference against Benazir Bhutto pertained to 1,393 illegal appointments and promotions in different cadres and postings abroad in violation of existing rules, regulation and procedure during her last tenure as prime minister.
