By Our Correspondent
LAHORE — A fresh controversy has emerged in the ongoing investigation into the alleged abduction and rape case involving foreign women after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the Station House Officer (SHO) of Defence C Police Station and two other police officials for allegedly unlawfully entering the official residence of a judicial magistrate and intimidating those present.
The case was registered on the complaint of the watchman of the Judicial Rest House in Dharampura, who alleged that SHO Faryad Ashraf, accompanied by two armed police personnel, forcibly entered the government residence of Judicial Magistrate Cantt Azhar Mahmood without lawful authority.
According to the FIR, the police officials entered the premises carrying official weapons and allegedly threatened the occupants of the residence. The complainant further alleged that the SHO attempted to pressure Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood into speaking with senior police officers over the telephone during the incident.
The allegations have raised serious concerns over the conduct of law enforcement personnel and their interaction with members of the judiciary. The incident is now expected to be examined through departmental as well as legal proceedings.
Following the registration of the case, a separate application was submitted to the Inspector General of Punjab Police seeking disciplinary action against the SHO and the two unidentified police officials allegedly involved in the incident.
According to official sources, SHO Faryad Ashraf has been line-closed, a departmental measure that removes an officer from active field duties pending the completion of an inquiry into allegations of misconduct.
The latest development comes as investigators continue to probe the high-profile case involving the alleged abduction and rape of two foreign women in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area.
Earlier, a local court granted police a five-day physical remand of four suspects, including the prime accused, Raza Dar, to facilitate further investigation. The other suspects have been identified as Hassan Raza, Sikandar Khan and Sajid Ali.
During the court proceedings, investigators argued that further custody was necessary to recover weapons allegedly used in the offence, trace suspected proceeds of the crime and complete other aspects of the investigation. Police also informed the court that while Raza Dar had been nominated in the original FIR, the remaining three suspects were implicated through supplementary statements recorded during the investigation.
Accepting the request, the court handed the accused over to police for five days and directed investigators to submit a progress report upon completion of the remand. The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the court again on 8 July.
Investigators are also examining the financial background of the case. According to sources familiar with the inquiry, the dispute may have originated from cryptocurrency-related financial dealings between the foreign nationals and the prime suspect.
Police believe the suspect was expecting to receive approximately US$1.5 million, equivalent to around Rs450 million, from the women. Investigators are attempting to determine whether the alleged financial dispute played a role in the events that followed.
Authorities are further investigating allegations that the women were brought to Pakistan under false pretences before the alleged kidnapping was staged. Investigators are also examining claims that the prime suspect intentionally included himself among the purported kidnapping victims to make the incident appear genuine.
The investigation remains ongoing, while departmental and legal proceedings against the police officials named in the FIR are expected to continue alongside the broader criminal probe.
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