PHC suspends judge over alleged involvement in crime

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has suspended the additional district and sessions judge of Mardan for his alleged involvement in kidnapping for ransom.

“Consequent upon alleged involvement in criminal case registered on May 3 under sections 365-A and 109 of Pakistan Panel Code (PPC) at the Haripur Police Station, the competent authority places the services of Munawar Khan, additional district and sessions judge Mardan under suspension with immediate effect,” said an order of the PHC issued by Registrar Muhammad Salim Khan.

However, the judge has secured the bail before arrest from the Anti-Terrorism Court in Abbottabad. As per the First Information Report (FIR), lodged by Asmatullah, a resident of Landi Arbab, Peshawar district, on May 3, his two sons Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Farooq and nephew Izhar were returning home from the court of Abbottabad district and sessions judge after appearing in a criminal case.

He claimed in the report that his one son, Muhammad Farooq phoned him up that one Munawar Khan’s men are picking them up in a vehicle and kidnapping them for ransom. He said then the call dropped.

The complainant stated that then he received a call from one Waqar, saying that his sons were in his captivity and would be released soon. After some time, he received another call demanding Rs30 million for release of his sons and nephew.

In the FIR, it was stated that after completion of inquiry in the case and after getting telephone calls recording, it was found that the accused Waqar and Nigar, sons of Saeed Khan, Imtiaz and Fayyaz, sons of Abdul Latif, Niaz, Inspector, Counter Terrorism Department, Mardan and other CTD employees had kidnapped the complainant sons and nephew on the alleged direction of the accused judge Munawar Khan, son of Abdul Latif. On the other hand, the judge and CTD inspector secured pre-arrest bail from the CTD Abbottabad.

Lawyer for the complainant, Muhammad Imtiaz Yusufzai, told The News that today was hearing in BBA of the judge and the CTD inspector. He said the court adjourned the case after lawyers of both the parties sought time for preparing the case. However, the remaining accused persons and three CTD employees were arrested in the case. He said that the kidnapped persons were yet to be recovered.