Extra-judicial killing: Encounter case delayed over lawyer’s absence

Parents of two under-trial officials passed away this week.

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions judge on Friday again directed the jail authorities to submit jail hospital’s medical report on the deputy superintendent of police (DSP), accused of a fake encounter.

The court later adjourned the hearing of an application filed by Jahangir Butt, father of robbery suspect Shahbaz Butt killed in a fake police encounter, over his counsel’s absence.

The judge will take up Butt’s application for addition of Section 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act to the case during the next hearing on July 18.

At the previous hearing, DSP Riasat Bajwa had sought medical check-up outside the prison.

The judge had ordered the jail superintendent to get Bajwa examined by doctors in jail and submit his report by July 15. However, the report was not submitted yesterday.

According to the prosecution, three men including Shahbaz Butt, robbed Makkah Medical Store in Youhanabad a few weeks ago. While his accomplices fled with the money, he was arrested by the police and later shot near Rohi Drain.

Accused grieved

Meanwhile, parents of two of the under trial police officers passed away this week. A third accused constable’s mother is also in poor health. DSP Bajwa’s mother passed away on June 24 and Sub Inspector Riaz Ahmad’s father on July 12.  Constable Asif Bhatti’s mother is stated to be in a critical condition following his arrest, Bhatti’s brother said.





Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2011.