KARACHI, Aug 30: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 ordered the release of two accused in a kidnapping for ransom case after the police sought their acquittal as the allegation against them was found baseless.
The judge also issued show-cause notice to the complainant for lodging a false case against innocent people. The case against Shamsher Khan and Nizamuddin was registered by the Manghopir police on the complaint of Jan Alam on July 3.
The complainant reported to the police that the accused took away his brother, Abdul Wadood, on June 29 on the pretext of some business deal. Later, they demanded Rs2.2 million for his release.
The police registered the case against the accused under Section 343 of the PPC for keeping the victim in wrongful confinement. About 20 days after his purported kidnapping, the victim came to the police station and asked the police to record his statement next day.
However, the complainant's brother moved an application with the deputy inspector general of police, seeking investigation of the case by the Anti-violent Crime Cell (AVCC).
Subsequently, the AVCC investigated the case and found that the complainant had lodged a fake case. The AVCC recorded the statements of the complainant, victim and one of their nephews.
The complainant deviated from the contents of the FIR when he recorded his statement before the AVCC. He stated in the FIR that he was in his home at the time of arrival of the accused. However, he stated before the AVCC that he was somewhere in Hawkesbay when the accused took away his brother.
The victim told the AVCC that the accused took him away in their car. He said he fell unconscious as the accused put a handkerchief on his mouth. He said he regained consciousness after three days and he did not know the place where he was kept for 21 days.
The AVCC also recorded the statement of Abdul Qayyum, nephew of the victim and his brother. Qayyum stated that his uncles had a monetary dispute with the accused. He said the two brothers had staged a drama of kidnapping for ransom.
Special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa submitted before the court that no evidence was found against the accused as the complainant lodged a false case against them.
The prosecutor also requested the court to initiate action against the complainant as he levelled a false allegation of kidnapping for ransom, an offence that involved capital punishment. The judge also ordered the complainant to furnish a surety bond in the sum of Rs100,000 and submit his reply to the show cause notice within a week.