Sexual assault video: Court extends physical remand of Usman Mirza

Judicial magistrate orders police to complete the investigation in four days

ISLAMABAD:

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday extended the physical remand of Usman Mirza – the main accused in the torture and sexual assault case involving a couple.

The remand of his accomplices was also extended. The accused were arrested after a harrowing video of them torturing and stripping a couple went viral online.

Judicial Magistrate Waqar Gondal presided over the hearing of the case during which prime accused Mirza along with his three accomplices - Hafiz Ataur Rehman, Farhan Shaheen Awan and Madras Butt - were produced in the court after their initial two-day physical remand had ended.

The culprits were arrested on July 7, after the video of the incident, which had occurred months before, surfaced. The video showed the suspect breaking into an apartment and unleashing the assault.

During today’s proceedings, the police requested the judicial magistrate remand to extend the physical remand that the mobile phones were yet to be recovered from the accused.

Meanwhile, the counsel for the accused opposed the physical remand and requested the court to grant judicial remand instead.

However, the court extended the physical remand of the accused ordering the police to complete the investigation in four days.

Read more: Viral video leads to arrest of culprit

A day before, Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice of the incident and directed Inspector General of Police Qazi Jamilur Rehman to bring the accused to justice.

The incident ignited widespread outrage online over the country’s longstanding problems with sexual violence, prompting a swift response from IGP Rehman who immediately directed SSP Operations Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer to ensure the arrest of the suspects at the earliest.

The Facebook video helped the police team to identify the suspects and gather information about Mirza’s real estate office situated right in front of the flat where the incident allegedly took place.

In addition, the investigation also discovered Mirza’s ‘guest house’ where sexual assault was routinely filmed and then used as a blackmailing tool against victims.