Abuse of power: Nine sent in judicial custody over rigging

District and sessions court orders arrest of 9 men, including a presiding officer and two assistant presiding officers

KARACHI:

A district and sessions court sent nine men, including a presiding officer and two assistant presiding officers, in judicial custody on Monday over rigging allegations in NA-251.

Arif Hussain, presiding officer, Farhan Ali and Muhammad Adil, assistant presiding officers, and seven others, identified as Azizur Rahman, Umair Khan, Jameel, Khalid, Sajid and Azeem Ahmed will remain in custody till May 26 following the order by Abdul Qadeer Buriro, judicial magistrate, East, on charges of vote rigging and abetment at polling station no. 104 in Bahadurabad.

According to the prosecution, independent candidate for NA-251 Raja Arif Sultan informed the police, who caught the nine men red-handed stamping ballot papers.

Meanwhile, judicial magistrate, South, Shabbir Ahmed Channa sent seven workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf into judicial custody till May 26. The activists were arrested on charges of rioting and arson in Darakshan police limits on Sunday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.