Cybercrime case: Court directs parties to complete arguments by January 17

NOWSHERA: The court of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday rejected the plea of Bacha Khan, Raheem Khan Raheem and Gul Samar Shah that the case against them was non-maintainable and ordered the relevant parties to complete arguments and witness statements.

The court of Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Peshawar, Faheem Ahmad, also directed the FIA Cybercrimes Wing and the complainant to complete witnesses by January 17 next accordingly.

Farooq Malik, lawyer for the accused namely Bacha Khan, a resident of Mardan, Gul Samar Shah, a resident of Nowshera and a poet, Raheem Khan Raheem, had appealed the court that the case against his clients was not maintainable.

Senior journalist and former president of Nowshera Press Club Mushtaq Paracha had registered a complaint with the FIA Cybercrimes Circle, Peshawar, stating that material was being shared on social media to defame him and his family members.

The two accused were later arrested on the charges of defaming a senior newsman and important figures including former Defence Minister Pervez Khattak through the social media.

The complainant had alleged that the accused had posted printed material and audio clips against him on his Facebook page, “Awaz-e-Haq” in 2014 to defame him and his family. The defamatory material was posted by using the facebook IDs of Bacha Khan and Gul Samar Shah.

The investigation team later raided the shop of the accused and confiscated his computer, hardware disc, cell phone and modem from there. The seized items were sent for forensic audit which confirmed the crime.

The court rejected the accused appeal and declared the case maintainable. The judge also directed the relevant parties to complete arguments and witnesses by the date mentioned above.A team of lawyers composed of Shafiq Javed and Muhammad Tariq Shah Kakar represented the complainant.