KARACHI, July 20: A judicial magistrate remanded on Friday three suspects in jail custody in an artefacts smuggling case.

Driver Zafar and cleaner Asif Majeed were held on July 6 for allegedly transporting a large number of Gandhara civilisation artefacts and relics while another suspect Tahir Butt was arrested on July 10.

After expiry of their physical remand, the investigating officer produced them before the court of a judicial magistrate (east) and submitted an interim charge-sheet.

The magistrate sent them to prison on judicial remand till July 24 and directed the IO to submit a final charge-sheet.

According to the prosecution, the police found the artefacts and relics in a container being transported to Sialkot on July 6 within the remit of the Awami Colony police station. Later, they also recovered more relics and artefacts in a warehouse in Korangi.

A case was registered against the suspects under Sections 26, 27, 29, 32 and 34 of the Antiquities Act at the Awami Colony police station. Atif Butt and Asif Butt, said to be prime suspects in the case, are on interim pre-arrest bail till July 24.

Gulgee murder case

A sessions court reserved on Friday its order on a bail application in a murder case of renowned artist Ismail Gulgee and others till July 24. The accused, Anwar, through his counsel moved the bail application in the court.

The district and sessions judge (south), Hasan Feroz, who was conducting the trial, reserved the order on the bail plea for pronouncement after hearing arguments from both sides.

Gulgee and his wife Zareen Gulgee with their maid Asiya were strangled to death in their house within the remit of the Boat Basin police station on December 19, 2007.

The bodies were found three days after the murder while the driver and a servant had gone missing along with a car belonging to the deceased.

However, the police arrested driver Akram Ali and servant Anwar on February 16, 2008 and during interrogation they confessed to have killed the victims in order to rob the house.

A case (FIR No 490/07) was registered at the Boat Basin police station under the Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the deceased’s son.