Woman accused of killing two in Karsaz car crash remanded in police custody

KARACHI: The City Court remanded the woman, suspected of killing two people in a car crash on Karachi's Karsaz Road, into police custody for one day on Tuesday.

The special magistrate judge has ordered to produce the suspect in the court tomorrow (Wednesday) with a proper medical report.

Amir Altaf, the police investigating officer, had requested a seven-day physical remand of the defendant.

A first information report (FIR) was filed on Monday against the female driver involved in the accident that killed at least two people and wounded five others on Monday

Police and Rangers had taken the woman driver, identified in the first information report (FIR) as "Natasha", into custody and brought her to the police station following the mishap and impounded her jeep.

The security personnel had later taken her to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for a medical check-up as she also received an injury to her head.

The IO submitted a report about the suspect’s non-appearance before the court, saying that JPMC hospital psychiatric specialist, Chunni Laal, had admitted the suspect to the hospital after examining her condition.

According to the doctor the suspect was not in a condition to be allowed for an appearance before the court, said the IO while apprising the judge.

“Since the mental condition of the accused is critical, she could not, therefore, be brought to the court as per doctor’s instruction,” the investigation officer maintained.

Prior to the hearing, the suspect’s lawyer, Amir Mansoob said his client was a psychiatric patient and had been under treatment for her condition for five years.

“Such patients are kept in isolation ward and they do not remember anything. She took out the vehicle without [anyone’s] permission,” he said.

The counsel added that the patient was not in a condition to be produced before the court.

On the lawyer’s request for his client’s bail, the court said it could not grant bail without the suspect’s appearance before it.

Moreover, the court said that the judge did not have the authority to grant bail, as he was on special magisterial duty.

When court asked the IO if the woman’s driving license was confiscated, the police official responded in the negative.

The lawyer told the court that his client possessed a driving license of the United Kingdom and not Pakistan.

Adjourning the hearing till tomorrow, the court inquired how the UK license could be acceptable in Pakistan.

Sureveillance camera footage

On the other hand, Geo News has obtained a CCTV footage of the unfortunate incident, wherein the father and daughter could be seen commuting on a bike. A speeding white luxury vehicle is also seen following and hitting the bike in the video.

The woman does not stop the vehicle after crashing into the motorcycle and runs away.

Police said investigation was expedited with the help of the surveillance camera footage.

What happened?

A young woman and an elderly man were killed when the suspect’s luxury vehicle crashed into multiple vehicles near the Pakistan Maritime Museum on Monday.

The deceased and injured were brought to the JPMC for medico-legal formalities and treatment, respectively.

Those killed in the accident were identified as daughter and father, 26-year-old Aamna Arif and 60-year-old Imran Arif, while one of the injured was in critical condition, said police.

According to law enforcement officials, the woman who caused the accident received an injury on her head and her CT scan was conducted at the JPMC.

The detained woman is a resident of KDA Scheme-I. She was going through the service road near Karsaz when, according to her, the car got out of control and caused the accident.

Her husband also reached the police station after receiving information of the incident.

The case

Police said the case was filed by Imtiaz Arif, brother of the deceased at the Bahadurabad police station. They said charges of culpable homicide and negligence were incorporated in the FIR.

The complainant said he received information about his brother’s accident on phone and when he reached the JPMC he found his brother and niece dead.

He came to know that the luxury vehicle's driver hit his brother’s bike from rear, causing the accident. Another motorcyclist Abdul Salam also got injured.

Imtiaz said his brother and niece died due to the suspect's "negligence, freewheeling and speeding".

Police said since the suspect had a driving licence, therefore charges of culpable homicide will be applied to her case. Whereas, they said, charges of negligence and rash driving had also been added to the FIR.

Meanwhile, police have asked the family for the medical history of the suspect involved in the accident.

Blood and urine samples had been taken for medico-legal examination of the suspect, said police surgeon.

According to the woman's husband, she took medication for mental stress.

Police said the accident was being investigated from various aspects and they were also trying to obtain CCTV footage of the incident.

Rescue sources said the father and daughter’s bodies were kept in Edhi mortuary and their funeral prayer would be offered after Asr prayers.