Murder over extortion: Relative of alleged victim testifies in court

Witness denies the charge that he identified suspect after being ‘briefed’.

KARACHI: The relative of a man, who was kidnapped and killed allegedly over extortion, testified at the Anti-Terrorism Court III on Thursday.

Mastoor Ali and Rashid have been accused of kidnapping and murdering the man, after allegedly collecting a ransom of Rs500,000 from the victim’s family. They have been charged with murder, kidnapping and common intent under the Pakistan Penal Code, illegal weapons possession and under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. The case was filed at the Ferozabad police station in 2009.

Mastoor Ali was in court on Thursday when the alleged victim’s relative was being questioned. Rashid, however, reportedly escaped from the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre while he was in police custody.

According to PPI, Rashid was injured in a police encounter prior to his arrest. He reportedly fled when one of the police officers guarding him went to the bathroom while the other one was absent.

The two police officers have been arrested and were remanded on September 14.

The relative was cross-examined by the defence counsel, who suggested that he had identified the suspect after being briefed by the Anti-Violent Crimes Cell - a charge the witness denied.

The witness also said that he had not seen the suspect before the identification parade.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 28.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2012.