Six witnesses record statements in couple harassment case
Golra police also arrested Muhammad Irfan after an unlicenced 30-bore pistol was recovered from him PHOTO: INP
Additional Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani recorded statements of a total of six witnesses in the harassment and sexual assault case of a boy and a girl in Sector E-11 within the Golra Police Station.
Lawyers of all the accused completed cross-examination of four witnesses. The statements of two other witnesses were also recorded and the counsel for one accused completed the cross-examination of one witness.
The court also summoned more witnesses at the next hearing to record their statements.
The plaintiff of the case and former Golra Police Station House Officer Asim Ghaffar and a witness Rab Nawaz also recorded their statements. The counsel of one accused completed the cross-examination of the two witnesses.
So far, counsel for the accused completed the cross-examination of four witnesses. The four witnesses were SP office computer operator, police station computer operator, recovery witness ASI Saeed Wali Khan and Muharram Mallkhana Inayat.
Plaintiff's lawyer Hassan Javed Shorash and Public Prosecutor Hassan Abbas appeared before the court during the hearing.
Five accused, including main accused Usman Mirza, were brought to the court from Adiala jail while accused Rehan and Umar Bilal Marwat, who were on bail, appeared before the court themselves on notice.
The other co-accused include Hafiz Ata-ur-Rehman, Idris Qayyum Butt, Mohib Bangash and Farhan Shaheen also appeared before the court. The accused lawyers, Malik Akhlaq Awan, Zafar Waraich, Javed Iqbal appeared before the co-accused.
The court summoned more witnesses for the next hearing to record their statements. Further hearing of the case was adjourned till October 25.
On the other hand, the Islamabad police have so far failed to arrest the three accused who are on the run in the case. The police are working to issue notices about the three absconding accused identified as Ali Abrar, Zahroosh Amir Siddiqui and Faheemullah.
According to the contents of the challan, Usman Mirza was the main character of the case, who with the help of the co-accused made an objectionable video of the boy and the girl, stripped them naked, tortured, and held them incommunicado.
The accused threatened the boy and girl and forced them to indulge in intercourse. The accused continued to tease the girl's delicate parts and made them both dance naked.
The accused blackmailed the victims through the video and extorted money from them.
After the video went viral on July 6, the police had registered an FIR at the Golra Police Station.
Zakir Jaffer withdraws petition in Noor murder case
Meanwhile, Zakir Jaffer, the father of Zahir Jaffer, withdrew his petition from the Islamabad High Court challenging the decision of the trial court to charge him in the Noor murder case.
IHC judge Aamir Farooq heard the case. The accused's lawyer Raja Rizwan Abbasi appeared before the court. Plaintiff Shaukat Muqaddam was also present in the courtroom during the hearing.
The court questioned lawyer Rizwan Abbasi if he wanted to withdraw the petition. The lawyer said that he wanted to withdraw the plea. On which, the court disposed of the case.
Zakir Jaffer had challenged the decision of the trial court after it indicted 12 accused in the Noor Muqaddam murder case.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2021.