Charging kidney traffickers: Police await response from Punjab health secretary
Interior ministry approached to place names of principal accused on ECL
The police had sought physical custody of the four accused, all of whom are presently confined in Adiala Jail. PHOTO: MUDASSAR RAJA/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
The police have been waiting for a response from the Punjab health department on a letter written to the health secretary for initiating legal action against a group of people allegedly involved in illegal organ smuggling, sources said.
City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi, on October 17, wrote a letter to the Punjab health secretary for initiating legal action against eight people who were nominated in a case registered by the Rawat police on October 15 for detaining 24 people for removing their kidneys.
Under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2010, the police cannot register a criminal case for alleged organ theft until a monitoring authority comprising top health officials carries out an initial inquiry and directs police to register a case.
The lacuna in the law could work in favour of the suspects, a police officer close to the investigations said.
Furthermore, the top police officers have sent a written request to the Interior Ministry to place the names of accused Dr Zahid Iqbal, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Dr Touseef Ahmed, and Laeeq Ahmed on the exit control list (ECL) as the police were trying to arrest them.
The investigators have also added three new sections of the Pakistan Penal Code in the case after 24 persons recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate under section 164. The police added fraud, forgery, and using forged documents to the case.
In a related development, the police have moved a sessions court to appeal against the orders of a magistrate denying physical custody of four arrested accused, plaza owner Zafar Iqbal, driver Faqeer Hussain, Shehzad Qayyum alias Shani, and Balqees Bibi.
The sessions judge will take up the prosecution’s appeal on October 25. The police had sought physical custody of the four accused, all of whom are presently confined in Adiala Jail.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2016.
The police have been waiting for a response from the Punjab health department on a letter written to the health secretary for initiating legal action against a group of people allegedly involved in illegal organ smuggling, sources said.
City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi, on October 17, wrote a letter to the Punjab health secretary for initiating legal action against eight people who were nominated in a case registered by the Rawat police on October 15 for detaining 24 people for removing their kidneys.
Under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2010, the police cannot register a criminal case for alleged organ theft until a monitoring authority comprising top health officials carries out an initial inquiry and directs police to register a case.
The lacuna in the law could work in favour of the suspects, a police officer close to the investigations said.
Furthermore, the top police officers have sent a written request to the Interior Ministry to place the names of accused Dr Zahid Iqbal, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Dr Touseef Ahmed, and Laeeq Ahmed on the exit control list (ECL) as the police were trying to arrest them.
The investigators have also added three new sections of the Pakistan Penal Code in the case after 24 persons recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate under section 164. The police added fraud, forgery, and using forged documents to the case.
In a related development, the police have moved a sessions court to appeal against the orders of a magistrate denying physical custody of four arrested accused, plaza owner Zafar Iqbal, driver Faqeer Hussain, Shehzad Qayyum alias Shani, and Balqees Bibi.
The sessions judge will take up the prosecution’s appeal on October 25. The police had sought physical custody of the four accused, all of whom are presently confined in Adiala Jail.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2016.