Judge's wife accused of torturing minor maid granted interim bail

Defendant maintains innocence while teenage girl battles for life

ISLAMABAD:

A district and sessions court granted interim bail on Wednesday to the wife of a civil judge, accused of brutally torturing a teenage maid employed in her service.

The case was heard before Additional District and Sessions Judge Dr Abida Sajid.

The accused was granted interim bail till August 7 against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

The court directed the accused to cooperate with the investigation and appear before Additional District and Sessions Judge Farrukh Farid for the next hearing.

In her application for bail, the accused termed the defendant’s case false and contended that the narrative painted in the FIR was fabricated.

She maintained that the teenage maid, Rizwana, was hired with the consent of her parents and no physical violence was committed against her.

Moreover, the accused claimed that Rizwana was older than 17 years of age.

The accused maintained innocence and insisted that she was being maligned as part of a slander campaign being carried out against her husband, who is a civil judge of good reputation.

She said she had never raised a hand on Rizwana but always treated her with the gentleness she shows her own three kids aged between nine to 12 years.

Read ‘Torture’ of child maids lands several in jail

Pleading for bail, she assured the court that she will cooperate with the investigation and will provide evidence of her innocence.

Domestic violence

Rizwana, a minor housemaid, employed by a civil judge was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital in Sargodha in critical condition reportedly with wounds on her face, head and body that were said to have been caused by a “blunt weapon”. The girl also bore burn marks on her body.

She was later shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Lahore General Hospital, with doctors fearing for the teen’s life.

According to hospital sources, she was brought in on July 24.

The Principal of Ameeruddin Medical College/Lahore General Hospital, Prof Al-Fareed Zafar, called an emergency meeting of the Special Medical Board and the members conducted a thorough medical examination of Rizwana.

The doctors believe the wounds were old, due to which the infection in blood had increased, and the complications affected some organs of the body.

The medical board members told the media that the girl had an infection in her lungs which was affecting her breathing.

She had an infection in one lung and blood clots in the other.

Doctors said that the saturation was decreasing due to infection and clots.

Rizwana has been diagnosed with sepsis.

Prof Al-Fareed Zafar said that the girl had been brought to the LGH in a very critical condition where doctors were trying hard day and night to save her life, and in this regard, a special medical board was also formed. The treatment was being monitored.

The principal said Caretaker Health Minister Dr Javed Akram, a renowned physician, was also providing guidance regarding treatment of the girl.