Two cops denied bail in Faisalabad fake encounter case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday denied pre-arrest bail to two police officials facing charge of killing a young man in a fake encounter after accusing him of raping and murdering a seven-year-old Emaan Fatima in Kasur.

The court dismissed the bail petition of DSP Arif Rashid and Sub-Inspector Younas Dogar, however, the court allowed bail to the suspects former District Police Officer of Kasur Nasir Abbas Rizvi and Constable Amanat.

During the hearing, Additional Prosecutor General Abdul Samad told the court that the suspects/cops had arrested Mudassar from his house and later killed him in a fake encounter. He said the suspects also forced the mother of the victim to reach an agreement against payment of a huge amount of money.

He said a sessions court of Kasur granted bail to the suspects while ignoring the facts of the case. He said a joint investigation team found Rashid, Dogar and three other cops guilty of killing Mudassar in a fake encounter terming him a suspect in Fatima’s case. However, he said the JIT was yet to complete its investigation to the extent of former DPO Rizvi and constable Amanat. The prosecutor reiterated that the DNA report had confirmed that Imran Ali, convict in Zainab’s rape-cum-murder case, was also involved in the murder of Fatima. He said the Supreme Court had also taken suo motu of the extra-judicial killing of Mudassar.

The lawyers of the suspect cops had taken a plea that victim Mudassar and two others were riding a stolen motorbike when police personnel signaled them to stop at a police picket. However, the bike riders had not stopped and rode away. They said the cops chased them and the trio on the bike opened fire on the police team. The personnel had no option but to retaliate the firing in self-defence leading to the death of Mudassar, the lawyers claimed.

After the arguments, Justice Anwarul Haq allowed bail to former DPO and Constable Amanat while denied bail to DSP Rashid and SI Dogar.