'Honey trap' victim seeks return of ransom amount

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LAHORE:

Screenwriter Khalilur Rehman Qamar has approached the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore seeking the release of Rs267,000 recovered as ransom money in a kidnapping-for-ransom case in which the culprits have already been convicted.

In an application filed through his counsels, Advocate Mudasar Chaudhary and Ghulam Mujtaba, Khalilur Rehman submitted that the said amount was recovered by police officials of Sundar Police Station in connection with an FIR lodged by him. The recovered amount is currently in police custody.

The petition stated that since the trial has been concluded and there is no other claimant to the recovered sum, the amount should be handed over to the petitioner on superdari (interim custody).

The counsels assured the court that their client is the rightful owner of the money and is willing to furnish adequate surety to the satisfaction of the court.

They further undertook that Khalilur Rehman would produce the amount whenever required by the court.

The application seeks the court's permission to return the recovered amount to the petitioner as the legal proceedings have concluded and no other claim has been made over the money.

The case dates back to July 2023, when Qamar was reportedly invited to Urooj's apartment in Lahore under the guise of discussing a professional collaboration. Once there, he was abducted, held for ransom, and released after several days. A police complaint filed by Qamar on July 21 led to a high-profile investigation and multiple arrests.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the kidnappers looted Qamar's mobile phone, wristwatch, cash, and forcefully withdrew Rs250,000 from his ATM account.