KARACHI: A judicial magistrate has sent two suspects to prison on judicial remand as they failed to furnish surety bonds in a case pertaining to a sexual assault on a woman inside a government hospital in Orangi Town.

The investigating officer (IO) brought two suspects before the judicial magistrate (West) on charges under Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force to woman and stripping her of her clothes) read with Section 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

During the hearing, the suspects filed a bail application, arguing that the section invoked in the case was bailable. The court granted them bail against a surety bond of Rs40,000 each. However, the court remanded them to prison until the bonds were submitted as the suspects failed to furnish the surety bonds in court.

According to the contents of the FIR, the complainant woman said she had got her infant daughter admitted to the children’s ward in Sindh Government Qatar Hospital on Sept 22.

The woman said that when the fever of her daughter increased, the hospital staff asked her to bring an injection from a medical store. As she came out of the ward at around 2:30am, a young man grabbed her hand and took to a room where two more men were present, she said.

She said the suspects attempted to sexually assault her, but a watchman and other hospital staff rescued her.

A case was registered at the Orangi police station under sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force to woman and stripping her of her clothes) read with 34 (common intention) of the PPC.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2024