By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: A Lahore court on Friday granted police a five-day physical remand of four suspects arrested in connection with the alleged abduction, ransom demand and sexual assault of two foreign women.
The suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mehmood at the Cantonment Courts by the investigating officer from Defence C Police Station. The accused appeared with their faces covered, but the magistrate directed them to remove their masks before the proceedings began.
During the hearing, the prosecution sought a 14-day physical remand, arguing that the investigation was at a crucial stage. The public prosecutor told the court that the prime suspect had been identified by the victims and said the incident had damaged Pakistan’s international reputation.
After hearing the arguments, the magistrate approved a five-day physical remand instead of the two weeks requested by the prosecution. He ordered the investigating officer to present the suspects before the court again on July 8 after the completion of the remand period.
Police had registered a case on Thursday against five suspects on charges of kidnapping for ransom and the alleged sexual assault of two foreign women, identified as nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela. Four of the accused have since been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspect.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the women were allegedly abducted and held captive by the suspects, who demanded $1.5 million in ransom before allegedly subjecting them to sexual assault.
One of the accused is reported to be a close relative of a senior political figure. Police said the investigation is continuing and further legal proceedings will depend on the evidence collected during the remand.
The allegations have been made in an FIR and are under investigation. The suspects have not been convicted, and their guilt has yet to be established in a court of law.
