Riots case: Court orders release of suspected arsonists

While cinemas were torched on the day, police failed to gather evidence from the crime scenes.

KARACHI: Nine suspects, including some juveniles, detained by the Civil Lines police for alleged involvement in riots and arson at the PIDC on the Ishq-e-Rasool (pbuh) Day have been ordered to be released.

Acting on orders from Anti-Terrorism Court-III to ensure a fair investigation, the police had to release the suspects due to lack of evidence.

While 7,000 to 8,000 rioters were involved, the police were unable to collect any proof against the suspects arrested from the crime scene. They could not identify the detained men from the CCTV footage obtained from the vandalised buildings.

On Monday, Special Public Prosecutor Abdul Maroof Maher directed the police to release the men based on Section 497(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which deals with freeing the suspects at any stage of investigation if it emerges that they have not committed a non-bailable offence.

The men had been sent to jail last week and had told The Express Tribune that they were not involved in the rioting.

On Monday, 24 men who are also accused of rioting were sent to jail by Anti-Terrorism Court-II judge after their remand expired. The men had been detained by the Jackson police.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2012.