GUJRAT: The suspect in Gujranwala underage girl students’ rape cases has been handed over to the police on six-day physical remand by court.

Saddar police on Friday produced the suspect in the court of Magistrate Muhammad Awais in connection with five cases of rape and child pornography lodged against him on Thursday and sought his physical remand for 10 days.

However, the court granted police a six-day remand for investigation into the cases.

The suspect is a husband of teacher at a non-formal government school at Saleem Colony (Therri Sansi) locality and he was running a canteen where he subjected at least five underage girls to rape.

Sources said police recovered another mobile phone from the suspect and both the phones had been sent for forensic analysis to Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) besides some other samples of evidence.

It is learnt that the non-formal school was established at the first floor of a five-marla house of the suspect who used to live at the ground floor along with his family. His own 14-year-old daughter was a student of the same school. The locals said the suspect had been residing in that house for the last 16 years.

Police may also interrogate the suspect’s wife also in connection with the rape cases.

The government has already closed the school and suspended two teachers, including the wife of the suspect, from service.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024