'Sexual assault survivor' says he had to pay police Rs16,000 to book attackers

The alleged survivor, who runs a catering business, says the assailants had called him to a flat for a business deal

ISLAMABAD: A 21-year-old man, who was allegedly subjected to sexual assault by four men and then deprived of his valuables, claimed on Sunday that he had to pay Rs16,000 to police to register a case against the assailants.

X* was subjected to torture and then sexually assaulted by the four men at a flat in Bahria Town Phase 4 on May 26. They also took away his motorcycle, cell phone, and wallet.

"They beat me, made me strip and then humiliated me by making me draw lines with my nose and then robbed me of all I had," X told The Express Tribune.



X runs a catering business in Rawalpindi and says the attackers called him to the flat for a business deal.

"They told me that they wanted me to supply them 'deghs' in Ramazan and had been calling me for several days to come over to finalise the rates," he added.

He claimed that the attackers also recorded footage of him and threatened to spread it if he disclosed what had happened.

X said that the assailants also demanded Rs50,000 from him after the attack, threatening him to assault him again if he did not do so.

He said that he went back home in the wee hours after the attack and reported it to the Lohi Bher police in the afternoon.

"The police demanded Rs25,000 to register an FIR as well as the cost of the medical tests. However, I gave them Rs10,000 for the medical tests which took place at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and another Rs6,000 to register the FIR," he added.



He accused sub-inspector Mian Khan, the investigation officer of the case, of asking him to work out a settlement with one of the four accused and exonerate him.

SHO Lohi Bher inspector Mehboob Ahmed, however, denied the allegations made by the complainant.

He said the case was reported to the police two days after the incident took place and the suspects were immediately arrested and an FIR was registered.

He said all four suspects were in judicial custody and the police were preparing a challan.

*Name withheld to protect privacy