IG Punjab ordered to supervise Kot Radha Kishan case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed the IG Punjab to personally supervise the investigation regarding the killing of a Christian couple, beaten to death by a mob and their bodies burnt in a brick kiln in District Kasur, on the allegations of blasphemy.
A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the suo motu case regarding the Kot Radha Kishan tragedy.The court also directed that, if needed, the IG Punjab should also include two other officials in the investigation, besides directing the prosecutor general in the instant case to constitute a team of three senior prosecutors so that they not only extend help in the investigation but could also argue before the trial court in detail.
The court expressed dissatisfaction over the report earlier submitted by the Punjab Police and ordered the prosecutor general to record the statements of victims’ heirs as well as the witnesses and preserve them. The court also directed to submit before it, on the next date of hearing, evidence collected in the instant case.
The court further directed the Punjab Police to ensure, protection to the witnesses as well as the legal heirs of the Christian couple when they come to the trial court and directed that the provision of adequate security should continue till the final verdict of the instant case.
The court ruled that on the next date of hearing, it would examine as to whether there was a need for constituting a judicial commission regarding the negligence of the police in the case and if needed it would pass an appropriate relevant order.
During the hearing, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan asked the police as to whether any persons among the 90 arrested persons had so far confessed to the crime. The court was, however, told that none of the arrested persons had so far confessed to the crime.
He further observed that the police force failed to reach the spot at the time of the tragic incident. The court observed that as per phone calls data, it was revealed that an ASI had received the information one night before the tragic incident but did not bother to inform the high-ups.
Afterwards, the court adjourned the hearing till March 24.On the last hearing, the court had termed the incident of killing of a Christian couple as a failure and negligence of the Punjab Police.
The Punjab Police told the court that 140 accused had been nominated in the instant case, out of which 81 persons had been arrested while efforts were in progress for nabbing the other 59 persons.
The court was further informed that among the three main accused, two had been arrested while one accused was not yet held. The court was further informed that two police personnel were negligent of their duty against whom departmental action was taken.
The court had summoned the investigation officer (IO) and prosecutor in-person besides seeking record, including the challan produced before the trial court, and adjourned the hearing till March 9.