LAHORE: The Lahore police on Monday obtained four-day physical remand of cleric Abubakar Muaviya in another child rape case lodged with the Shahdara Police Station.

Police shifted the suspect to the police station for interrogation in the new child abuse case.

An official said police claimed that the suspect was caught raping a minor boy and that they had taken him into custody from the spot.

Ayesha Raza Farooq, the chairperson of National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC), tweeted that “Abubakar Siddique Muaviya has been ARRESTED in criminal case number 2441/24 dated 7/4/24 u/s 376(iii). Accused is now on a 4 day physical remand (sic).”

She congratulated the inspector general of police and the NCRC.

A couple of weeks back, Muaviya was arrested in a case lodged in Tandlianwala of Faisalabad over the charge of raping a child.

He was later discharged from the case by a magistrate when the victim’s father told the court that the first information report (FIR) was registered against the suspect following some misunderstandings.

In a video viral on social media, he said had withdrawn the charges because he had forgiven Muaviya in the name of God. A renowned cleric had visited his house for mediation.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2024