Zaman refuses to record his statement before the magistrate
Denying IO's request for physical remand, court sends Zaman to jail
Accused owed over a million rupees to deceased, planned out the crime, attempted suicide, says police. PHOTO: TWITTER/@(SarahShadaab)
KARACHI:
Atif Zaman, the main accused in the double murder case of anchor Mureed Abbas and his friend, refused on Tuesday to record his confessional statement before East judicial magistrate. The court sent the accused to jail on judicial remand.
Zaman was brought to the court from the hospital under strict security. The investigation officer (IO) had requested on Monday that the accused's confessional statement be recorded.
The IO submitted a report pertaining to the difficulties in bringing the accused before the court. He said the accused was present in the ambulance outside the courtroom but it would be difficult to bring him in. He requested that the court record Zaman's statement in the ambulance. The judicial magistrate accepted the IO's request and went inside the ambulance while the police surrounded the vehicle.
"You should decide if you want to record your statement or not. Are you mentally prepared to give your confessional statement?" the magistrate asked Zaman. "If there is any pressure on you to record the statement, consider the consequences of the statement you give. I am giving you time to think about it, tell us what you have decided," said the magistrate. He then returned to the court room.
After a while, the magistrate went back to the ambulance and asked Zaman if he wanted to record his statement.
"No, I don't want to record any statement. I will fight my case and I have hired counsels for myself," said Zaman.
The court directed the IO to submit the case challan at the next hearing.
The IO requested further physical remand of the accused but the court denied his request.
Instead, the court sent Zaman to jail on judicial remand and directed the jail surgeon to provide medical facilities to the accused in prison.
The court sought a report from the resident medical officer (RMO) in two days and adjourned the hearing till July 25.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, IO Atiqur Rehman said that there was solid evidence against the accused and the police will pursue the case thoroughly. Referring to the issue of the accused's financial crimes, Rehman said that a letter has been sent to the National Accountability Bureau. "It is not the police's job to investigate financial crime. Those affected can approach NAB if they wish to," he said, adding that the police had nothing to do with the financial fraud committed by the accused. "NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency are there for the financial issue."
The other accused in the case, Adil Zaman, is on the run, said the IO.
Meanwhile, Atif Zaman's counsel told the media that the accused wanted to record his statement but came under some pressure. "When we talked to him earlier he did not have any pressure," said the counsel. He added that the case would proceed after the challan is submitted.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2019.
Atif Zaman, the main accused in the double murder case of anchor Mureed Abbas and his friend, refused on Tuesday to record his confessional statement before East judicial magistrate. The court sent the accused to jail on judicial remand.
Zaman was brought to the court from the hospital under strict security. The investigation officer (IO) had requested on Monday that the accused's confessional statement be recorded.
The IO submitted a report pertaining to the difficulties in bringing the accused before the court. He said the accused was present in the ambulance outside the courtroom but it would be difficult to bring him in. He requested that the court record Zaman's statement in the ambulance. The judicial magistrate accepted the IO's request and went inside the ambulance while the police surrounded the vehicle.
"You should decide if you want to record your statement or not. Are you mentally prepared to give your confessional statement?" the magistrate asked Zaman. "If there is any pressure on you to record the statement, consider the consequences of the statement you give. I am giving you time to think about it, tell us what you have decided," said the magistrate. He then returned to the court room.
After a while, the magistrate went back to the ambulance and asked Zaman if he wanted to record his statement.
"No, I don't want to record any statement. I will fight my case and I have hired counsels for myself," said Zaman.
The court directed the IO to submit the case challan at the next hearing.
The IO requested further physical remand of the accused but the court denied his request.
Instead, the court sent Zaman to jail on judicial remand and directed the jail surgeon to provide medical facilities to the accused in prison.
The court sought a report from the resident medical officer (RMO) in two days and adjourned the hearing till July 25.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, IO Atiqur Rehman said that there was solid evidence against the accused and the police will pursue the case thoroughly. Referring to the issue of the accused's financial crimes, Rehman said that a letter has been sent to the National Accountability Bureau. "It is not the police's job to investigate financial crime. Those affected can approach NAB if they wish to," he said, adding that the police had nothing to do with the financial fraud committed by the accused. "NAB and the Federal Investigation Agency are there for the financial issue."
The other accused in the case, Adil Zaman, is on the run, said the IO.
Meanwhile, Atif Zaman's counsel told the media that the accused wanted to record his statement but came under some pressure. "When we talked to him earlier he did not have any pressure," said the counsel. He added that the case would proceed after the challan is submitted.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2019.