Lead

A judicial magistrate in Lahore has extended the physical remand of four suspects in the case involving the alleged abduction and rape of two foreign women. The suspects, including one reported to be related to a senior political figure, were produced before the magistrate at the Cantonment Courts over two hearings, with custody extended first by four days and subsequently by five days.

Coverage Comparison

Dawn reported on the proceedings across two separate accounts. In the first account, the magistrate granted a further four-day remand after the police sought additional custody to complete the investigation. In a later report, the magistrate extended the remand by five more days, following the conclusion of the earlier remand period. Both reports note that the suspects were booked after the two women—nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela—were rescued, and that four of the five booked suspects were arrested.

While the initial report highlighted the recovery of the suspects' mobile phones and the vehicle allegedly used in the offence, the subsequent report noted that police were still seeking to recover a laptop, cash, and weapons believed to be linked to the case. The reports also differ slightly on the number of suspects represented by the defence counsel: one report says Advocate Salman Shahid appeared for three of the suspects, while the other says he appeared for two.

Key Claims

  • Police were granted extended physical remand of four suspects in the alleged abduction and rape case of two foreign women, with the first extension of four days and later a five-day extension.
  • The suspects were accused of abducting and raping two foreign women, who were nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela.
  • The police recovered the suspects' mobile phones and the vehicle allegedly used in the crime, but recovery of money allegedly linked to the case was pending in the earlier report, and later recovery of a laptop, cash, and weapons was still needed.
  • The prime suspect is reportedly a relative of a senior political figure.
  • A sessions court dismissed the interim pre-arrest bail of the station house officer (SHO) of Defence C police for non-prosecution after he allegedly unlawfully entered an official residence.
  • DNA and fingerprint tests of the suspects had been conducted, according to the prosecution.
  • The defence counsel argued that the matter was related to a cryptocurrency dispute rather than abduction or rape, and that the suspects were implicated due to media coverage of the case.
The defence counsel, Advocate Salman Shahid, opposed the further remand, arguing that his clients had no connection with the alleged offences. He contended that according to the police's own version, the case involved a cryptocurrency dispute and fell within the jurisdiction of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He said one of his clients worked as a security guard and another was employed in Islamabad, and both had no role in the matter. He alleged that the suspects were being subjected to a "media trial" and that their reputations would be irreversibly damaged even if they were acquitted.

The counsel also questioned the status of another suspect, identified as "Boss," asking whether he had been produced before any court despite his arrest. In the earlier hearing, the defence argued that police had failed to disclose what they had achieved during the previous remand, that only four suspects had been identified by complainants, that no identification parade had been conducted, and that a female police officer should have conducted the investigation. He also requested the court to discharge the three suspects from the case.

After hearing arguments, the magistrate extended the physical remand of all four suspects—initially by four days and subsequently by five days.