DERA GHAZI KHAN, July 19: The local Anti-Terrorism Court will conduct an in-camera trial of the Meerwala gang-rape case from July 26.

Judge Malik Zulfiqar Ali opted for the in-camera trial under Section 21 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Earlier on Friday the judge resumed scrutiny of the challan submitted by police on Thursday.

Sources in the court told Dawn that during the scrutiny, Public Prosecutor Qazi Iftikhar Arif of the ATC called one of the defence counsel and inquired whether the defence had any contention to challenge the competency of the court viz-a-viz its jurisdiction to trial the case.

The defence counsel reportedly expressed his inability to give his point of view without seeing the prosecution case.

Later, the judge summoned the accused — chief juror Faiz Bakesh Mastoi, arbitrator Ramzan Pachaar, juror-turned-rapist Ghulam Farid, rapists Abdul Khaliq, Allah Ditta and Fayyaz Hussain and eight others who are alleged to be the part of strong gathering of Mastois which got the rape verdict of the Panchayat enforced.

Suspended ASI Muhammad Iqbal of the Jatoi Police Station is also one of the 15 accused in the case. He is charged with negligence and abetment in the gruesome crime.

The police produced 15 accused before the court in the afternoon session at about 4pm. The court marked their attendance and handed over them copies of the statements of 27 prosecution witnesses.

Besides the victim, Muzaffargarh District Nazim Malik Sultan Hinjra is also among the 27 prosecution witnesses.

The court fixed July 26 as the next date of hearing of the case to frame charges against the accused. The court also summoned the prosecution witnesses to testify their statement at the next date of hearing.

However, the defence can challenge the competency of the ATC 97 up to July 22 (Monday).