LHC orders release of theft accused arrested when he was 2

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered release of a man arrested by police on a charge of stealing Rs350,000 at the age of two in year 2005.

Ramzana Bibi had filed a habeas corpus petition for the release of her 17-year-old son Muhammad Rafiq from alleged illegal detention of Sialkot police. She contended that the police arrested her son in a fabricated case at the behest of the complainant.

She said the police registered the FIR in 2015 about a theft incident allegedly took place in 2005 when her son was two-year-old.

The investigating officer told the court that the suspect was yet to be produced before a judicial magistrate for remand. Justice Asjad Javed Ghural reprimanded the officer and asked him as to how a two-year-old child could commit an offence. The judge ordered the police to immediately release the son of the petitioner.

Verdicts reserved: An accountability court Thursday reserved its verdicts on acquittal applications filed by PML-N leaders in Lahore Parking Company and Saaf Pani Company scams. The accountability court judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry reserved verdict until April 22 on acquittal application of Hafiz Nauman in Lahore Parking Company scam after the counsel of the accused and prosecution concluded arguments.

The same court has also reserved its verdict until April 25 on acquittal application moved PML-N leader Raja Qamar-ul-Islam and others in Saaf Pani company scam. In Lahore Parking Company scam, the NAB had accused Hafiz Numan and others of awarding the contract to a company that had presented forged documents. NAB had also alleged that a company identified as AGCN had acquired the contract on fake joint venture of Green Parking Company. While in Saaf Pani Company scam, the NAB had accused former director Saaf Pani Company Engineer Qamar-ul-Islam and former CEO Waseem Ajmal of awarding contracts at exorbitant rates causing a loss of Rs345.282 million to the national kitty.

bail extended: An additional district and sessions court on Thursday extended interim bail of one Rizwan Gujjar, accused of torturing and kidnapping religious scholar Nasir Madni. The court while extending bail of the accused directed police to complete the investigation of the case and submit a report by May 2. A case was registered against Rizwan and others over kidnapping and torture of religious scholar Nasir Madni under Sections 395, and 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 18 of the Motion Pictures Ordinance.