Imran Farooq murder case: Suspects not produced in court, again

Counsel argues that expiration of remand means custody has become illegal

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday adjourned before giving a judgment on an application seeking the immediate release of three men currently standing trial in the Imran Farooq murder case. The application cites investigators’ failure to produce them in court for a number of consecutive hearings.

The verdict was deferred as ATC-I Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi was on leave.

The court reserved the verdict after Mansoorur Rehman Afridi, counsel for the suspects, moved an application for their immediate release and concluded his arguments.

In his arguments, the counsel said suspects Khalid Shamim, Mohsin Ali and Moazzam Ali Khan had not been produced before the court to obtain extension of remand since January 8, 2016, which would violate Section 344 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Subsequently, he said, the suspects’ custody had become illegal and they should be released.

He prayed the court to take notice of the issue and order the immediate release of the suspects.

Meanwhile, the FIA still has not submitted a charge sheet before the court.

Shamim and Ali have already recorded confessions with a magistrate alleging that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founding member was killed as he was a “potent threat to the leadership of MQM.”

Khan has not yet recorded his statement yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2016.