Alleged kidnappers attacked at Sessions Court

Accused submit plea for protection from complainants.

LAHORE:

A brawl broke out at the Sessions Court on Wednesday when a group of people attacked four men accused of abducting a girl after a hearing of their pre-arrest bail applications.

Eyewitnesses said that the group of 15 to 20 people was waiting outside the courtroom of Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdusattar Langa and set upon Muhammad Pervez, Abbas Ali, Muhammad Tahir and Muhammad Saleem, who are accused of an offence under Section 496(A) (abducting a woman with criminal intent).

Their lawyer sought to pacify the mob but they also beat him up, said witnesses. Some lawyers stepped in to help their colleagues, while others started calling more lawyers.

By the time reinforcements arrived, the mob had fled. The melee lasted about 20 minutes.

A court staffer said that Pervez had submitted an application before the court seeking protection. He had told the court that the complainant had threatened him.

The court forwarded the application to the station house officer concerned for action. On their pre-arrest bail pleas, the judge directed the investigation officer to complete his inquiries and submit the investigation report by April 10.

The FIR for the case was registered on the complaint of Muhammad Hanif, the alleged victim’s father.

He said that on March 15, he woke to find his daughter missing from the house. A relative later told him that she had been seen in a car with the accused.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2012.