Innocent until proven guilty: ATC acquits two accused for want of evidence
Investigators say men were arrested as they were near the place where police found weapons.
"It was revealed that there was nothing concrete to connect the suspect to the offences," Deputy district public prosecutor of ATC-III, Abdul Maroof. CREATIVE COMMONS
KARACHI:
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) discharged on Monday two suspects in cases pertaining to an alleged police encounter, attempted murder and for possession of illegal arms and explosives after the investigation officer found them innocent.
The decision to release the suspects, Abid Ali and Muhammad Hanif, was taken after the investigators failed to find adequate evidence, which could connect them to the offences. The police had claimed to have arrested the men and seized two hand grenades and a Kalashnikov from their possession in an encounter on January 19.
Following the arrest, two cases, No. 19/14 and 20/14, under sections 353(assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with section 3/4 of the Explosive Act, were registered against them at Kalri police station. The men were also booked under section 23-A of the Sindh Arms Act.
“It was revealed during scrutiny of the police papers that there was nothing concrete to connect the suspect to the offences,” said the deputy district public prosecutor of ATC-III, Abdul Maroof.
During the arguments, Maroof said that the police papers showed that the case property was ‘real’ but the suspects were not, adding that the case property was foisted upon the suspects by the previous investigation officer. Following the police report and arguments from the prosecutor, the ATC-III discharged the suspects and directed the jail authorities to release them if not wanted in any other case.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2014.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) discharged on Monday two suspects in cases pertaining to an alleged police encounter, attempted murder and for possession of illegal arms and explosives after the investigation officer found them innocent.
The decision to release the suspects, Abid Ali and Muhammad Hanif, was taken after the investigators failed to find adequate evidence, which could connect them to the offences. The police had claimed to have arrested the men and seized two hand grenades and a Kalashnikov from their possession in an encounter on January 19.
Following the arrest, two cases, No. 19/14 and 20/14, under sections 353(assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with section 3/4 of the Explosive Act, were registered against them at Kalri police station. The men were also booked under section 23-A of the Sindh Arms Act.
“It was revealed during scrutiny of the police papers that there was nothing concrete to connect the suspect to the offences,” said the deputy district public prosecutor of ATC-III, Abdul Maroof.
During the arguments, Maroof said that the police papers showed that the case property was ‘real’ but the suspects were not, adding that the case property was foisted upon the suspects by the previous investigation officer. Following the police report and arguments from the prosecutor, the ATC-III discharged the suspects and directed the jail authorities to release them if not wanted in any other case.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2014.