ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: The Judicial Magistrate, Islamabad, Mohammad Mumtaz Hussain, discharged on Wednesday a mobile phone dealer from his alleged involvement in the abduction of the US journalist for lack of evidence.

The dealer, Abdul Majid, was arrested by the special investigation team of the Islamabad police from his office at the Bank Road, Rawalpindi, a couple of days back.

The police had claimed that he was arrested on certain information revealed to them by the already detained four accused persons who were allegedly the accomplices of the abductors of the Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl, who had been making telephone calls from Islamabad to the US consulate in Karachi.

Police kept him in custody for over 48 hours while under the CrPC any accused is required to be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest.

Police, sources said, interrogated Abdul Majid at some safe house in Islamabad for two days, but the reported arrest of the prime suspect of the kidnapping Shaikh Omar from Lahore changed the whole scenario and the nature of his search.

The prosecutors, who produced Abdul Majid before the court, had sought his physical remand but could not satisfy the court about any evidence of his involvement in the high profile kidnapping which has stirred the entire world community.

The court observing that since there was no valid evidence against the accused which could justify his further interrogation, relieved him of the charge.