Organ traffickers: Judge grants physical remand of accused trio

Judge rejects defence argument that police are not competent authority to register case

RAWALPINDI: An additional district and sessions court judge (ADSJ) on Wednesday allowed the Rawat police to obtain physical remand of three men arrested in connection with detaining 24 persons to steal their kidneys. The three male accused and a female accomplice are in Adiala jail on judicial remand.

Judge Amjad Iqbal Ranjah, accepting an appeal filed by the police against the decision of a magistrate, sent the arrested men to jail on judicial remand while denying further physical remand on October 17.

In his order, Judge Ranjah noted that one-day physical remand was insufficient for the police to complete their investigation, and that investigators needed more time.

The court said that the argument of the prosecution – that the police needed to recover different items from the custody of the accused and therefore needed to have them in custody – was very valid. He said that the police needed to interrogate the accused about the alleged kidnappings of 24 persons including four women, their illegal detention, and the snatching of their cell phones, ID cards, and other valuables.

The judge further observed that the plea of the accused – that the police were not the competent authority to register a case under sections of the Transplant of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2010 and could thus not be given physical remand – did not hold water.

He said that the police could investigate the accused under charges of kidnapping, unlawful detention, and extortion.

At the same time, the court said that under the law, the police could not obtain physical remand of the woman, who is also a member of the kidney theft gang.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2016.