KARACHI, Feb 3: An anti-terrorism court put off on Friday the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case against three accused after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.

Judge Syed Saghir Hussain Zaidi of the ATC-3 fixed Saturday for the next hearing after special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa examined the judicial magistrate, South, Zulfiqar Ali.

Akram alias Shaheen, Gul Hasan Brohi and Abdul Jalil are being prosecuted for kidnapping Zakir Rehman, a grain dealer, and his two young sons for ransom, who were released after the payment of Rs3.4 million.

The magistrate submitted that he had conducted the identification parade of three accused who were duly identified by two prosecution witnesses – Habibur Rehman, brother of the victim, and Asadullah, son of the victim.

According to prosecution, the trader was going home on his bike on Oct 15, 2005 when eight occupants of a Suzuki pick-up intercepted him in Chakiwara and took him away at gunpoint. The kidnappers demanded Rs4 million for his release.

It was alleged that on Oct 25 victim’s wife, Zakia, his two sons, Abdullah, 13, and Haseebur Rehman, and his elder brother, Habibur Rehman, met the kidnappers at an appointed place in Chakiwara where the three accused received Rs500,000 as part payment of ransom.

The kidnappers, however, made the victim’s sons hostage before they released the trader. The accused asked the trader to pay remaining Rs3.5 million for the release of his kids.

According to prosecution, the trader went to meet the kidnappers after 10 days and got his sons released after paying them further Rs2.9 million. He finally reported the matter to the police as the kidnappers kept on demanding remaining Rs600,000 from him and threatened him of dire consequences in case of non-payment.

The police initially arrested five accused – Akram alias Shaheen, Gul Hasan Brohi, Abdul Jalil, Abdus Salam and Nadir. However, later the ATC-3 ordered the release of accused Nadir after the police withdrew the charges against him under Section 169 of the CrPC.

The police submitted charge sheet against four accused and showed eight others as absconding accused — Razzaq Commando, Sarwer, Shahid, Faiz, Abdul Hameed, Mohammed Rashid, Mohammad Ayub and Khuda Bukhsh.

Later, the ATC-3 acquitted accused Abdus Salam on an application under Section 265-K. The accused submitted before the court that he was already in the judicial custody and was lodged at the District Malir jail on Oct 15, 2005 when the incident occurred.

MURDER CASE: An anti-terrorism court put off hearing of a murder and kidnapping for ransom case after deposition by four prosecution witnesses.