Couple murder case: Court remands four suspects in lynching case

Counsel for accused says his client is innocent, police not recording his statement

LAHORE: Anti-terrorism Court Judge Haroon Latif on Monday extended physical remand for nine days of four main suspects of  beating a Christian couple to death and burning their unconscious bodies in brick kiln, for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran at Kot Radha Kishan in district Kasur.

On Monday, Kot Radha Kishan police produced accused including Yousaf Gujjar owner of kiln, Muhammad Hussain, Haris Bashir and Iftikhar alias Mohind before the court of said judge.



Investigation Officer of the case Muhammad Maqbool requested the court to extend physical remand of the accused. He pleaded that police is in need of more time for competition of investigation and submission of case challan. The court after hearing the plea extended physical remand of all accused to November 16, directing IO to produce them again by said date along with investigation report.

Iqbal Bhatti, counsel for accused Yousaf Gujjar, also extended his arguments saying that his client is innocent, and that he was not present when the incident occurred.

He said police has registered version of one side only. He implored the court to record statement of his client as well. He said that his client is a diabetic patient and is facing deteriorating health condition after police refused to give him insulin injections.

Meanwhile, counsel for the other accused Haris Bashir stated that police has not yet provided copy of the FIR to his client. He requested the court to direct police to provide copy of the FIR.

The court after hearing the plea of both counsels directed police to provide copy of the FIR to Haris Bashir along with allowing medicine to Yousaf Gujjar. Previously, the court had sent other 39 accused to jail on 14-day judicial remand. Those accused will also be produced before the same court on November 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2014.