22 ‘rioters’ sent on judicial remand
PTI supporters clash with police during a protest against Imran’s arrest in Lahore. PHOTO: AFP
The district and sessions court in Peshawar has sent 22 of the 24 suspects arrested on charges of vandalism and arson on May 9 and 10 on judicial remand while the remaining two on physical remand.
The judicial magistrates heard the cases registered against the 24 accused persons who were arrested for creating a law and order situation following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on May 9.
According to the prosecutor, two accused from the Sharqi police station were presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate Daulat Khan.
The court sent Jahanzeb, a child under 18 years of age, to jail on judicial remand, while the other accused was referred to the police on two-day physical remand.
Four accused from the Faqirabad police station were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate Alam Hamid.
The court sent the four accused to jail on judicial remand.
The 18 accused from Khan Raziq police station were presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate Daulat Khan. The court referred one accused to the police on one-day physical remand, while 17 accused were transferred to jail on judicial remand.
According to the police, all the accused were arrested on charges of vandalism and arson on May 9 and 10 and cases had been registered against them under terrorism and other provisions.
Separately, the suspects arrested in Peshawar and Khyber on May 9 and 10 vandalism and arson approached the special anti-terrorism courts (ATC) of Peshawar for bail.
So far, 33 bail applications had been filed on behalf of 113 accused named in various FIRs.
According to court data, there are 45 accused named in FIR No 222, and 34 accused in FIR No 614. Twenty accused in FIR No 221 and nine accused in FIR No 787 had applied for bail. Four accused in FIR No 100 and one accused in FIR No 121 had also applied for bail.
The bail applications had been filed in three special anti-terrorism courts in Peshawar.
The accused who submitted bail applications had been arrested from the limits of Sharqi, Hayatabad, Faqirabad and Khan Raziq Shaheed police stations.
One from Jamrud police station of Khyber district and nine accused arrested from the limits of Landi Kotal Police Station had applied for bail.
Three ATCs in Peshawar had issued notices to the parties concerned in bail applications.
Magistrate Daulat also sent Musa Khan, the main suspect in the Radio Pakistan arson case, on a two-day physical remand for investigation.
When the police officers produced the accused in court, the investigation officer apprised the court that Musa was the main suspect who set fire to Radio Pakistan and had been arrested from the Pakha Ghulam area of Peshawar.
A case had been registered against the accused at the Sharqi police station and the accused had been identified from various footages on social media.
The court accepted the request of the police remand.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2023.