Court remands Rawalpindi suspect into police custody in alleged rape of 16-year-old seminary student

RAWALPINDI: The suspect involved in the alleged rape of a 16-year-old seminary student in Pirwadhai was remanded into police custody by an additional district and sessions court in Rawalpindi,   Geo News reported   Wednesday. 

At the outset of the hearing, the police moved the court to send the suspect, Mufti Shahnawaz — who had earlier obtained an interim bail — into police custody.

As soon as the court granted the police's request, Shahnawaz was arrested from the court premises.

According to sources within the police, the suspect will be presented before a judicial magistrate tomorrow for a physical remand.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Zunaira Azfar said that a stay was granted by the court in the arrest of another suspect, Ishrat Hanif. She said that the court had directed Ishrat to cooperate with the Joint Investigation Team in the probe, however, Ishrat "has been non-cooperative".

Allegations against Shahnawaz

Mufti Shahnawaz, a seminary teacher, was arrested on August 23 for allegedly raping a 16-year-old female seminary student, but he obtained interim bail till August 30.

The victim had alleged that a female teacher at the seminary was also involved in facilitating the prime suspect and that another student was also previously raped.

A case was registered at a police station in Pirwadhai on August 17, a week before Shahnawaz's arrest.