Absence from court: Warrants out for gang rape prime suspect

Court asked to cancel bail granted to Adnan Sanaullah

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court issued arrest warrants on Friday for a former office-bearer of the PML-N Youth Wing in a gang rape case after he failed to join proceedings of a prosecution’s appeal against his bail granted by a lower court.

A division bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar directed police to produce the suspect, Adnan Sanaullah, on December 23.

Additional Prosecutor General Abdul Samad asked the bench to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for the suspect on his constant failure to appear in the court.

In its appeal, the prosecution department contended a sessions court granted bail to Adnan after the victim tendered an affidavit in his favour, allegedly after the suspect put enormous pressure on the girl’s family.

The appeal stated the victim in her first testimony before a judicial magistrate had termed Adnan the prime suspect of the gang rape. After the victim’s statement, the suspect cannot be given concession of bail, the prosecution argued, asking the court to declare the affidavit of the girl void and cancel the bail granted to the suspect.

Race Course police had arrested Adnan and his accomplices Abdul Majid, Muhammad Umar, Ameer Ahmad, Haris, Bilawal, Imran Shahid and Qamar Zaman on charges of abducting and raping a teenage girl.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2016.