Controversial video case: Dania Shah sent to jail on judicial remand

Turning down a request by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for a 14-day physical remand of renowned televangelist Aamir Liaquat's widow Dania Shah, a local court in Karachi on Saturday sent her to jail on judicial remand in a case relating to controversial videos of her husband being uploaded on social media.

The agency's officials arraigned Dania before the judicial magistrate (East) and pleaded with the court to grant them a 14-day physical remand of the suspect in the case “on the ground of interrogation and completion of the investigation.

During the course of the proceedings, the court took notice of producing the suspect late in the court and served a show-cause notice on the investigation officer.

“As per the law, it is mandatory to produce the suspect before the court within 24 hours of arrest,” the judge remarked.

The court also reprimanded the investigation officer (IO) for not obtaining transit remand of the suspect ahead of shifting her to Karachi from Punjab.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the plea for Dania’s physical remand and sent her on judicial remand.

The judicial magistrate ordered the investigation officer to complete the interrogation of the suspect by December 19. The suspect should be interrogated in the presence of the jail officer, the judge directed.

The court also asked the jail superintendent to cooperate in the case as per the law.

It is pertinent to mention here that the FIA officials, earlier today, produced the suspect before the judicial magistral South.

But after a brief hearing, the magistrate directed the FIA to produce the suspect before the relevant court, where the controversial videos had been recorded.

The FIA Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) Lodhran arrested Dania during a raid on Thursday for allegedly uploading a controversial video on social media.

The action was taken on the complaint of the TV anchorperson's daughter, the officials confirmed.

Dania's mother Salma Bibi had said the police and other officials "barged" into their house and arrested her daughter. "I have come to the police station, but they are not telling me anything and Dania isn't present here as well."