GUJRANWALA, June 15: On the orders of District and Session Judge Muhammad Rashid Qamar on Wednesday three Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials, two majors and a sepoy, were handed over to army authorities for their court martial within 15 days.

The army men, along with 18 other ANF officials, are accused of killing an alleged drug peddler, Zulfikar, during interrogation.

Six of the accused, including the three army men, were arrested when they appeared for confirmation of their bail after two years of registration of the case ordered by the Lahore High Court on a petition filed by the mother of the victim.

The army authorities concerned had filed an application on Tuesday, seeking custody of the three accused for their court martial.

On Wednesday, the counsel for the accused, district bar association president Zaigham Ullah Sansi, appearing in the court pleaded that as under the law army officers had to face court martial if they were accused of committing any crime so they be handed over to army authorities for the purpose.

The court accepting the plea ordered that the three accused, ANF Director Maj Syed Kamran Hashmi, Deputy Director Maj Nazir and soldier Muhammad Ahmad be given in army's custody for their court martial.

The court also ordered that investigation report regarding the case should be submitted in the court after a fortnight while the complainant should also be given an opportunity to record her statement to army tribunal and that she be informed of its decision.

The judge asked the complainant that if she felt at any stage that the army tribunal was not conducting a fair trial of the accused the court could call back the case for trial.

The court sent the remaining three civilian accused, ANF Assistant Director Muhammad Akram, Naveed Ahmad and Riaz Ahmad, to central jail on judicial remand following endorsement by Magistrate Yaser Hayat. — Correspondent