SHC sets aside acquittal of three in rape case, remands back case to trial court

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday set aside a trial court order with regard to acquittal of three persons in a rape case on the premises of the Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum, and remanded back the case to the trial court for re-writing the judgment after hearing the parties within three months.

Razia Kubra had filed the appeal against the acquittal of three persons, including staff of the mausoleum, from charges of sexual assault against her by the trial court on April 6, 2013.

Police had arrested Khadim Hussain, Raja Arif and Arif Ansar on the charges of physically and sexually assaulting the victim on March 15, 2008, on the mausoleum premises but the trial court acquitted them due to lack of evidence.

A counsel for the appellant argued that the trial court had erred in the judgment and ignored the prosecution evidence, including DNA tests results which had proved the guilt of the respondents.

A single bench of the SHC comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar after hearing the arguments of the counsel set aside the trial court acquittal order for reasons to be recorded later on, and remanded back the case to the trial court for rewriting the judgment after hearing the parties within three months.