VEHARI, Oct 29: Sarwar Mai of Mailsi was given in the custody of her brother on Tuesday by the Vehari district and sessions judge.

She was produced before the judge on an appeal filed by Aurat Foundation vice-chairperson Advocate Lubna Ehtasham.

It is learnt that Sarwar requested the judge to allow her to go along with her brother Karam Husain. The judge granted her permission and they were taken from the court in police custody to a secret police.

A police source told this scribe that the woman and her brother had been kept in ‘safe’ custody as they had been receiving threats from the Tareens.

Later, the judge directed police to record the statement of Sarwar, and two arrested accused Jahangir Tareen and Allah Ditta, members of the punchayat. A judicial magistrate recorded their statements which were not made public.

Meanwhile, Advocate Lubna alleged that Sarwar was drugged by police during custody and was unable to talk to newsmen. Police did not permit her to have Sarwar examined by a doctor, she said.

She claimed police drugged her to get a ‘favourable’ statement for accused Jahangir.

When contacted, SHO Riaz Ahmad denied the allegation.

However, when this correspondent tried to talk to Sarwar, she seemed drowsy and could not reply to questions. Police also did not permit her to talk to reporters.

Sarwar Mai and her other family members, in the meantime, looked frightened and avoided pressmen.

One of her relatives, on condition of anonymity, said police had restrained the family to talk to reporters.

SP Habib Ghumman said Jahangir and Allah Ditta had already pleaded guilty in early police investigation.

Landlord Jahangir Tareen, at the head of a punchayat in Mauza Shamun, Mailsi, ordered to shave off the head and eyebrows of Sarwar when her husband accused her of having bad character.

Her sentence was forcibly implemented by Jahangir with the help of punchayat members Muhammad Iqbal, Allah Ditta, Munshi Yasin, Muhammad Asghar, Muhammad Yar, and barber Allah Rakha.

Her clothes tore during struggle to free herself and she was paraded in the village streets half-naked.