ATC sends Raees Mama on remand till April 15

The administrative judge of an anti-terrorism court has sent former Korangi sector in-charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Raeesuddin alias Raees Mama on physical remand till April 15 in an illegal weapons and explosives possession case.

At a hearing on Friday, the judge was informed that police have recovered illegal arms and explosive material from within the limits of Nabhi Bukhsh police on the information provided by Raees and more details were needed from the suspect.

The court then allowed police to investigate the case further and allowed Nabi Buksh police to have custody of him till April 15 for interrogation. However, in a separate case, the Judicial Magistrate (East) declined the police’s request to put Raees in an identification parade. The former MQM activist is also a key accused in the Chakra Goth firing cases that pertain to murders, attempted murder, illegal arms and others.

The court was informed that the said cases were registered in different police stations of the city and Raees needed to be placed in an identification parade to be identified. The judge observed that the cases did not fall within his jurisdiction.

Upon this, the police moved an application before the District and Sessions Judge (East) challenging the order of the lower court. Moreover, on Friday, Raees was identified in a third case – this one pertaining to the murder of a man named Zar Khan some five years. As the accused was produced before the Judicial Magistrate (East) for an identification parade, two witnesses – the complaint in the case and another eyewitness – identified him as the shooter.

The two men told the court that Raees along with around 10 other men had killed Zar Khan and injured Fazlur Rehman and Abdul Malik in Korgani Industrial Area on June 22, 2013. The judge later handed over the custody of Raees to the police on physical remand till April 16.

Court warehouse fire case

Meanwhile, the Judicial Magistrate (South) recorded the statements of the cops responsible for the security of the City Courts warehouse which caught fire on Wednesday, leaving case property and record of two districts destroyed. Police commando Waqas Ahmed also gave evidence.

The court has taken the initiative of investigating the matter on the directives of District and Sessions Judge (South) and has so far recorded statements of 15 security guards deployed at the City Courts building.