Shershah scrap market case: Accused remanded to judicial custody

Judge directs investigating officer to submit charge sheet within a week.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court’s Justice Maqbool Baqar, also the administrative judge (AJ) of the Anti-Terrorism Court, on Monday remanded to judicial custody Lal Muhammad Magsi, the only arrested accused in the Shershah market carnage case.

According to remand papers, Magsi was arrested from the Gulbahar area after the recovery of a .222 rifle and ammunition.

He was booked under section 13-d of the Arms Ordinance on the charge of possession of illegal arms.

Later on it was discovered that Magsi was wanted in the Shershah market carnage case and was handed over to the Pak Colony police.

The physical custody of the accused is required for interrogation and arrest of his accomplices, the remand request said.

The AJ directed the investigating officer to submit the charge sheet against the accused within a week.

According to remand papers, the accused who are still on the run are Hameed alias Mulla Raju, Noor Muhammad alias Baba Ladla, Imdad Hussain, Shafi Muhammad Magsi, Jawwad, Nawaz, Iqbal, Ejaz, Akbar, Tehseen, Rashid, Abid, Pervez, Tufail, Rasheed and Asghar.

Over a dozen gunmen, alleged to be members of Lyari gangs, attacked the Shershah market on October 19. Twelve shopkeepers sustained injuries.

The victims were dragged out of their shops and shot at pointblank range. Their refusal to pay extortion was stated to be the reason for the carnage.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2010.