Mashal murder case: Main accused sent on 14-day judicial remand

PTI councillor Arif Khan arrested on March 8

PESHAWAR: A civil court in Mardan has sent prime suspect in the Mashal Khan murder case on a 14-day judicial remand.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf councillor Arif Khan was presented before Senior Civil Court Judge Asim Riaz on Monday where he pleaded not guilty to charges of his involvement in the lynching of the Abdul Wali Khan University student.

On Friday, a sessions judge had sent the prime accused to a three-day physical remand. He was apprehended by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)Police on March 8 from Mardan’s Link Road.

The raid was conducted on an intelligence tip-off and a special police team nabbed him from the locality where he was hiding.

On February 7, an anti-terrorism court in Abbotabad had awarded death sentence to one and 25-year-prison to five others in the Mashal Khan murder case.

The decision, announced by judge Fazal-e-Subhan Khan at Haripur Central Jail, convicted sentenced 25 others under section 297/148/149 PPC to one (1) year R.I and Under section 11-WW ATA, 1997 to 3 years R.I.

The court exonerated 26 out of 57 accused in the Mardan lynching case. “No conclusive evidence is brought on record against them and at the same time they were not found to have played any overt act in the lynching of Mashal Khan whereas though identified in the videos/PFSA report, they could only be seen standing in the mob or making videos therefore they are acquitted of all charges leveled against them and it is directed that they shall be released forthwith if not required in any other case,” the judgement reads.

The capital punishment has been awarded to prime accused Imran Sultan under section 302(b) and section 7(1)(a) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) while five have been convicted and sentenced to life-imprisonment under section 302(b)/148/149 of PPC.