KARACHI, Feb 1: The prosecution in the US consulate carbombing case against leaders of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi failed on Saturday to examine its first eyewitness due to an objection raised by defence counsel.
Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi of the ATC-1 fixed Feb 6 for the next hearing of the case against the self-styled chief of his own Aalmi faction of the banned organization, Mohammed Imran, his deputy, Mohammed Ashraf, and finance secretary, Mohammed Hanif.
The accused are being tried on the premises of the Central Prison, Karachi.
The prosecution produced its major witness, Syed Shah Mohammed Hussain, who had earlier identified accused Imran and Hanif during an identification parade before judicial magistrate Rahmatullah Moro. The witness had also recorded his statement before the JM under section 164 of CrPC.
However, the judge put off the examination-in-chief of the prosecution witness as the defence counsel objected to the witness’s production in the court before the deposition of the JM, who had first recorded the statement of the PW.
The three accused have been charged with the carbombing near the US consulate that killed seven men and five women and injured 43 others.
The Civil Lines police have cited as many as 50 prosecution witnesses in the case.
A team of prosecutors, comprising Advocate-general Anwer Mansoor Khan, Assistant AG Habib Ahmed, special public prosecutors Maula Bux Bhatti and Abdul Waheed Khan, is representing the state.
The accused are being represented by Abdul Waheed Katpur, Khawaja Naveed and Ali Raza Abidi.
Prosecutor Bhatti moved an application before the court under section 540 of CrPC for summoning a judicial magistrate of district Malir, who had recorded the confessional statement of accused Ashraf.
The judge issued notice to the defence for arguments on the prosecutor’s application. He will hear the application at the next hearing.
BOMB BLAST CASE: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 put off the hearing of a bomb blast case against a worker of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi at the request of defence counsel.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, Karachi, fixed Monday for the next hearing of the case after counsel Abdul Waheed Katpur sought adjournment as he was engaged in the ATC-1.
Mohammed Ahmed Daniyal was charged with planting two explosive devices in a building at Peerabad, where the Ismaili community were holding a function of their spiritual leader on December 13, 2001. One of the devices exploded, injuring a few people and damaging a few motorcycles.
According to the prosecution, the Harkat worker, arrested on July 16, 2002, during interrogation disclosed his involvement in the bomb blast.
JUDGMENT RESERVED: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 reserved judgment in a kidnapping for ransom case after hearing final arguments from the prosecution and the defence.
The judge fixed Feb 4 for announcement of the judgment.
Two young men, Farhan and Shahzad, are being tried for kidnapping a two- year-old girl on Nov 28 last year in the police limits of Rizvia Society.
ACQUITTED: An additional district and sessions judge, South, Mohammed Farooq Channa, acquitted three workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in two murder cases.
The judge acquitted them as the prosecution could not bring on record any incriminating evidence against the accused.
Yureed Shah alias Shoaib and Nadeem Shamsi were prosecuted for killing ASI Abul Hasan Shirazi and Mehboob Khan on December 31, 1995.
The third worker, Ahmed Din, was tried for killing a worker of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement in 1993 in the police limits of Nabi Bux.
REMANDED: The judicial magistrate, South, Lubna Yousuf, remanded Aneesuddin alias Chuney Wala, former sector in charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of Lyari, in police custody till Feb 6.