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KARACHI, Feb 3: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday recorded statements of police officers in the case of a five-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped for ransom by a cousin and his accomplices.
Sub-Inspector Ishrat and Assistant Sub-Inspector Ashram Dad of the Cantonment Railway police station appeared before Judge Annand Ram Hotwani of ATC-III to record their statements as witnesses.
After the recording of the statements, special public prosecutor Mobashir Mirza said the court issued notices to the victim’s mother, Naheed Begum, and Dr Afzal Ahmed of the Civil Hospital of Karachi for Feb 12.The FIR said four suspects, Shahzad, Danish, Shoaib and Arif, kidnapped five-year-old Javed on March 27, 2008 in Baldia Town while the victim was on his way to school.
Later, the accused demanded a ransom of Rs100,000 from the victim’s father, Ghulam Hussain.
Mr Hussain approached the police, who started an investigation. In the meantime, Shahzad, a cousin of Javed’s, allegedly pushed the boy off the Clifton Bridge to avoid being identified.
However, the boy survived and, according to the prosecution, regained consciousness after three days and told his parents about his ordeal. He also identified Shahzad as one of his kidnappers.
The Citizens-Police Liaison Committee and the Anti-Violent Crime Unit teams arrested the four suspects in raids conducted on April 3. The case was registered at the Baldia Town police station on the complaint of the victim’s father.
Business partner’s kidnap
The same court on Tuesday adjourned till Feb 16 the hearing of a bail application moved by a person accused of kidnapping his business partner for ransom.
Accused Yaseen Ghani, through his counsel, took the plea that since all the six alleged accomplices had been released on bail, he should also be extended the same relief while the case remained in prosecution.
However, special public prosecutor Mobashir Mirza opposed the plea and argued that the complainant had nominated the suspect in an FIR and the prosecution also had solid evidence against him.
The special public prosecutor added that the bail application was not maintainable at this stage and pleaded for its dismissal.
According to the prosecution, Yaseen Ghani with his accomplices – Mohsin Shah, Ata-ur-Rahman, Mohammad Iqbal, Inayatullah, Naimatullah and Jarrar – kidnapped his business partner, Farooq Ahmed Siddiqi, for a ransom of Rs500 million. The accused kept him for some 50 days in captivity somewhere in Balochistan. After his release, the victim approached the police to lodge a case against the accused and his accomplices.
Afaq Ahmed’s case
Awaiting the posting of a judge, the additional district and sessions court of east could not take up a kidnap-and-murder case against Mohajir Qaumi Movement chief Afaq Ahmed. The next hearing was set for March 2.
The defence counsel complained that, after the transfer of judge Abdul Razzaq to Sukkur, it was the fourth consecutive month that the case was not being heard. Afaq Ahmed, Amir Khan and their associates were charged with kidnapping Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Tahir, Salman and M. Anwar, workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on June 19, 1992 in the Landhi police limits. Later, they allegedly killed Mohammad Farooq.
Police registered a case (FIR 102/1992) under Sections 147, 148, 149, 324, 364, 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Ismail Qureshi.
Fashion designer’s murder case
The IVth additional district and sessions judge (south), Abdul Naeem Memon, hearing a case against two brothers facing trial for killing a fashion designer at his residence, adjourned the proceedings till March 2 after a couple of witnesses did not turn up on Tuesday.
The suspects, Ameer Hamza and his younger brother, Mohammad Saad Farooq, were indicted for killing fashion designer Sheikh Amir Hassan at his residence on Aug 30, 2008 in his DHA, Phase V.
A case (FIR 215/08) was registered under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Clifton police station on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Jalal Hussain.
