KARACHI: A former SHO was arrested on Monday after an antiterrorism court revoked his interim bail in a kidnapping for ransom case.

Abdul Moeed, former SHO of North Nazimabad, was booked for kidnapping Asmat for ransom and illegally detaining him at the rooftop of the police station.

On Monday, police officer Moeed moved an application seeking confirmation of an interim pre-arrest bail granted to him earlier.

The ATC-V judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, dismissed the plea for confirmation of his interim pre-arrest bail, which was also recalled.

The judge observed that the charge sheet had already been filed in the present case while testimony of none of the prosecution’s witnesses had been recorded yet. He also observed that if proven, the accused could face the punishment of up to life imprisonment under the charges levelled in the challan.

The judge ordered arrest of the former SHO who was taken into custody and sent to prison. The judge also dismissed the post-arrest bail of co-accused Muhammad Asif.

According to the prosecution, one Qadir phoned his friend Asmat at Dilpasand Sweets to strike a deal about the sale of ‘black scorpion’ on March 22.

It further mentioned that when Asmat went to the place, five accused persons —Mehboob Kalhoro, Muhammad Asif, Mukhtiar, Asad Raza and Kashif —kidnapped and kept him in illegal detention on the rooftop of the PS North Nazimabad. Initially, they also allegedly demanded Rs5 million ransom for the safe release of the captive, but later struck the deal against Rs400,000.

However, a team of the Anti-Violent Crime Cell recovered the captive along with the ransom money of Rs400,000 cash from the accused persons who were arrested.

Meanwhile, the provincial anti-corruption court on Monday remanded in judicial custody a female senior clerk of the Deputy Commissioner Malir’s office in an alleged Rs8.5 million corruption case.

The anti-corruption police had arrested Shabana and booked her for allegedly receiving a Rs8.5 million bribe for the transfer of a piece of land on July 8.

On Monday, the investigating officer produced the suspect before the judge of the provincial anti-corruption court to seek her physical remand in custody of the anti-graft body for interrogation.

However, the judge remanded the suspect in judicial custody till July 21, directing the IO to produce her on the next date along with an investigation report.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023