Deadly land dispute: Taji Khokhar sent on judicial remand

Police’s request for extension in physical remand turned down.

RAWALPINDI:

A trial court on Tuesday sent Imtiaz Khokhar alias Taji to Adiala Jail on judicial remand for 14 days. Khokhar is accused of murdering Sabira Bibi over a land dispute.

At the end of the four-day physical remand, Station House Officer (SHO) Azhar Hussain Shah produced Taji Khokhar, the brother of former National Assembly deputy speaker Nawaz Khokhar, before Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Special Judge Rana Masood Akhter and sought an extension in physical remand.

Opposing the police’s request for remand, the defence counsel argued before the court that his client had not killed the lady, nor was he present at the crime scene when the murder was committed by unknown assailants. He claimed his client was being embroiled in the case by his political opponents.

After hearing the arguments, the court rejected the police’s request and sent Imtiaz to Adiala Jail for 14 days on judicial remand.

The defence council also filed a bail plea on his client’s behalf for which the court asked the police for the case record.



Meanwhile, the court also confirmed interim pre-arrest bail for Raja Arshad and Raja Amjad, co-accused in the Sabira Bibi murder case, ordering them to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each.

Similarly, the trial court extended the physical remand of police constable Arshad for two days. Arshad videotaped the firing at the crime scene where Sabira was murdered. Airport police took Arshad to a police station for further investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2013.