Missing evidence: Police to submit para-wise comments on stolen files case

Counsel for Mihajul Quran says evidence in police operation case stolen.

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions court on Wednesday asked police to file para-wise comments on a petition seeking a case against unidentified men accused of stealing important evidence, video clips, pictures and case files on the police operation against Minhajul Quran workers in Model Town on June 17.

Advocate Mansoorur Rehman Khan Afridi, counsel for the Minhajul Quran International, requested the court to either dismiss the application or direct the relevant station house officer to register a case in this regard. He said para-wise comments were not required.

District Public Prosecutor Malik Azhar asked the court to direct the police to submit para-wise comments.

Afridi said he was representing the Minhajul Quran International in a case pertaining to the police operation in Model Town in which 14 Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers were killed.

He said the Minhajul Quran International had sought a case against the prime minster, Punjab chief minister and several other politicians. He said he had kept the statements of witnesses, videos, and other important evidence in his office.

He said on August 19, he and several other lawyers had arrived at his office to find the doors unlocked and all his documents and case files scattered.

He said all the evidence pertaining to the Model Town incident had been stolen. He requested the court to direct the Islampura SHO to register a case against unidentified thieves.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2014.