Sexual assault: Police seek out-of-court settlement to save officer

SP, along with two others, accused of raping teenage boy.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police are attempting to reach an out-of-court settlement for a police officer allegedly involved in a case of sexual assault by pressuring the victim’s family, it has been learnt. 

Atta Shah, a superintendent of police (SP) currently posted in Quetta, has been named in an FIR for raping a 14-year-old boy in Islamabad along with two other men, identified as Nadeem and Umar Khan.

Initially, the police dilly-dallied to nominate Shah in the FIR and took two days to register the case. A medical report has also confirmed the assault on the teenage boy.

The police arrested Nadeem and Umar Khan but allegedly helped Shah escape arrest. The SP later obtained pre-arrest bail from an additional and sessions judge with the help of police, said a police official on the condition of anonymity. A civil court, however, cancelled the bail and ordered police to arrest him. The three accused were later sent on judicial remand.

The official told Express the police have collected evidences and statements to exonerate Shah, adding Shah has prepared a certificate proving he was on duty in Quetta the day the incident took place.

On the other hand, the other two accused have also said in their statements that Shah was not with them at the time of the incident. “The police have also recorded statements of the victim and his father in favour of the suspect,” the police official revealed.

The victim, Saad*, in his statement said that Shah was not present at the scene while the victim’s said Shah has apologised for the crime and they have ‘forgiven’ him.

Another police official confirmed the police are trying for an out-of-court settlement of the case as they want to avoid punishing one of their own.

*NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITY

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2014.