KARACHI, Oct 7: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday dismissed an application seeking transfer of a Rs6 million ransom case, involving sons of three senior government officials, to the sessions court.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 rejected the application after hearing arguments from special public prosecutor, Mazhar Qayyum, and defence counsel M.K. Memon.
Fida Hussain Khoso, son of SSP Nadir Khoso, Junaid Ansari, son of KBCA official Abdul Rehman Ansari, Qurban Ali Khoso and Abdur Rasheed have been charged with the kidnapping of Ahmed Naeem, who was released after payment of ransom in Manchester, UK. The gang of kidnappers was busted in the mid of last month.
The victim, son of a Mercedes vehicle dealer, was kidnapped on June 11. The kidnappers released him after the payment of Rs6.1 million ransom. Mujeebur Rehman Bhutto, son of customs SPO Rano Khan Bhutto, Shahzad Ali, Atique Bajwah, Khalid Aziz, Himmat Ali Khoso, Niaz Khoso and Yasir Khoso are absconding in the case. The judge issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of the absconders and put off the hearing till October 12.
Suspects Mujeeb Bhutto and Ghulam Murtaza Khan Bhutto, both sons of SPO Rano Khan Bhutto, and their alleged accomplice Saeed Naqi were arrested in Manchester immediately after delivery of the ransom amount and subsequent release of the victim.
A close liaison between the Manchester and Karachi police authorities in investigation in the case led to the immediate arrest of the sons of the SSP and the KBCA official.
A special team of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and Anti-Violence Crime Cell (AVCC) started the investigation after the victim's father, Mohammad Ahmed of Shahnawaz Motors, reported the matter to authorities.
The investigators intercepted the ransom calls originating from Manchester. The kidnappers called the victim's family and initially demanded Rs50 million for his release. However, after a series of negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to a ransom of 56,000 pounds Sterling (Rs6.1 million).
M.K. Memon, counsel for Fida Khoso, contended that the ATC had no jurisdiction to try the case, as no terror was caused by the kidnapping. He also argued that no weapons were seized. As such, the case should be tried by an ordinary court.
Special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum opposed the defence counsel's application for transfer of the case. He said kidnapping for ransom was a scheduled offence under the Anti-Terrorist Act. He said the victim was released after he remained in captivity of the kidnappers for two months.
DOCTORS CASE: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 adjourned the hearing of the two doctor brothers' case, as one of the two prosecutors was on leave.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed October 12 for the next hearing after specially-appointed public prosecutor I.A. Hashmi told the court that special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti was on leave due to his son's marriage.
The prosecution has so far examined three witnesses; one of whom was declared hostile on the request of the prosecution after he gave an "obliging statement in favour of the accused".
Dr Akmal Waheed, a cardiologist, and his younger brother Dr Arshad Waheed, an expert in kidney diseases, have been charged with financing, harbouring and treating the activists of Jundullah.
The case was registered by the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police under sections 201, 211 and 216 of the PPC and sections 21-C, 21-J and 11-M of the Anti-Terrorism Act for financing, assisting, harbouring and treating activists of the banned Jundullah. The two brothers were also charged with sending people to Wana for terrorist training.
It was alleged that the two brothers sent Jundullah activists Shahzad Ahmed Bajwa and Mohammad Qasim to Wana for getting training from Obaidullah, the brother of Nek Mohammad.
MURDER CASE: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 put off the hearing of a kidnapping-cum-murder case against two young men after recording the statement of the investigation officer.
The judge put off the hearing till October 9 when one of the defence counsel would cross examine SI Aslam Jatt. Two accused, Khurrum Mushtaq and Ather Mehmood, are being prosecuted for kidnapping Raghib Hussain at around 11.30am on April 1 this year in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. Hours after, the victim was found unconscious near Singapore Towers on Sharea Faisal by the police. He later died at hospital after a couple of weeks.
According to the prosecution, the victim was first taken to the Jinnah Hospital and then shifted to the Liaquat National Hospital. On April 2, he told his mother that he was kidnapped by his friend, Sheeraz, who posed as a girl on the Internet.
It was alleged that on March 31, the impostor asked him into going on a date. The absconding accused including Sheeraz and Shabana allegedly kidnapped him at gunpoint and took him to a bungalow in Gulistan-i-Jauhar where the accused, Khurrum, Asif, and Ather were already present. The accused Asif allegedly injected a syringe into his chest as the other accused caught hold of him.