DNA proves rape accused innocent

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Thursday allowed SP (Investigation) Sialkot to discharge accused Abdul Razzaq from the kidnapping and raping case of seven minor girls and boys in Daska City, after his DNA tests were found negative and his innocence was established. Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif directed SP Afzal Virk to arrest 'real culprits and do the needful in the case without wasting time so that those involved in the heinous crime be awarded punishment for their wrong-doing. Earlier, the SP appearing before the court submitted a report stating therein that a DNA report of Razzaq did not match with those of victims and his innocence was proven, and sought courts permission to discharge him from the case. He assured the CJ that efforts were being made to nab the actual accused persons who committed the inhuman offence. Considering the DNA report, the CJ allowed the SP to set free Razzaq and ordered him to arrest the real culprits without any delay. Upon this, the SP sought time for arresting the accused. The CJ allowed time to the SP and adjourned further hearing of the suo moto case till June 24. According to the police, Razzaq was arrested on the identification of one of the victim girls Ms Fatima, who had taken the police to the 'Dera of the accused where she was allegedly raped. Later the police sent DNA samples of Razzaq for matching the same with DNA samples of Fatima and another rape victim Farwa Zainab. But his reports came negative and it was established that he was not involved the crime. On the last date of hearing the court was informed that six accused had already been arrested while efforts were being made for the arrest of remaining accused. CJ Kh Sharif had taken suo moto notice on a news item appeared in an English daily and converted it into a petition under Article 199 (1)(c) of the Constitution. According to the news item, seven minor girls and boys became victim of rape after kidnapping in Daska City during the last one and a half months. Out of them, two girls expired and as many other were admitted to two hospitals of Lahore where they braved for life. Dead body found A body of 26-year-old drug addict person was found from Australia Chowk in Nulakha police precincts on Thursday. According to the Police investigators, an anonymous person phoned the police and informed about a body lying near the aforesaid Chowk about 2:00pm. SI Khaleel Ahmad said police recovered an injection, which is often used as drug. He said apparently it seemed he was a drug addict but it was too early to establish cause of his death. before seeking some solid evidence. He, however, maintained when police was making announcements about his death in nearby mosques of the said locality then someone phoned the police and informed that a youth of the same age was missing from their home but none of the citizens approached the police even after several hours. Later, an Edhi ambulance shifted his body to the city morgue for autopsy.

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