After 10 years, man freed from ‘illegal custody’
His mother claims he was being detained; accused’s son says he was employed.
RAWALPINDI:
A court bailiff accompanied by the police on Tuesday recovered a man from the alleged illegal custody of a local landlord in Gujar Khan, after 10 years and turned him over to his mother.
Muhammad Azam, 45, was recovered from the house of Raja Rab Nawaz in Jabbar Village that lies in the precincts of the Gujar Khan Police Station. His mother, Farrukh Bibi, had alleged that her son was detained there for over 10 years.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Naveed Iqbal ordered the registration of a criminal case against the landlord from whose house the man was recovered.
The recovered man told the court said that although he was not locked up or physically restrained, Rab Nawaz had him doing household work and used to pay him a nominal amount. He added that he was getting three meals a day.
Sub Inspector Babar Ali and the court bailiff raided the house of Rab Nawaz and recovered Azam, whose mother claims her son had gone missing from his house in a village near Gujar Khan.
Ali said the man was not chained up as he himself opened the door and introduced himself as Azam after they asked about the missing man.
On the other hand, Rab Nawaz’s son approached The Express Tribune and said that his father had not kept Azam in illegal custody.
Faisal Nawaz said Azam was not mentally fit and came to their house some three years ago asking for a job and shelter. “My father paid him regularly and provided him with shelter as Azam was free to move around and the area residents can give affidavits about the man’s freedom,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2012.
A court bailiff accompanied by the police on Tuesday recovered a man from the alleged illegal custody of a local landlord in Gujar Khan, after 10 years and turned him over to his mother.
Muhammad Azam, 45, was recovered from the house of Raja Rab Nawaz in Jabbar Village that lies in the precincts of the Gujar Khan Police Station. His mother, Farrukh Bibi, had alleged that her son was detained there for over 10 years.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Naveed Iqbal ordered the registration of a criminal case against the landlord from whose house the man was recovered.
The recovered man told the court said that although he was not locked up or physically restrained, Rab Nawaz had him doing household work and used to pay him a nominal amount. He added that he was getting three meals a day.
Sub Inspector Babar Ali and the court bailiff raided the house of Rab Nawaz and recovered Azam, whose mother claims her son had gone missing from his house in a village near Gujar Khan.
Ali said the man was not chained up as he himself opened the door and introduced himself as Azam after they asked about the missing man.
On the other hand, Rab Nawaz’s son approached The Express Tribune and said that his father had not kept Azam in illegal custody.
Faisal Nawaz said Azam was not mentally fit and came to their house some three years ago asking for a job and shelter. “My father paid him regularly and provided him with shelter as Azam was free to move around and the area residents can give affidavits about the man’s freedom,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2012.