ISLAMABAD - Judicial Magistrate Waqar Gondal on Friday extended the physical remand of Usman Mirza and two of his accomplices involved in torturing and stripping a couple in a flat in E-11/2 for four days. 
The accomplices have been identified as Atta Ur Rehman and Farhan Shaheen Awan.
According to details, police investigators produced the three accused before the court amid tight security and sought further physical remand of the accused. Prosecutor Javed Atta and the Investigation Officer pleaded before court that the investigators wanted to recover mobile phones and other stuff they used while committing the crime. 
Opposing the comments of prosecutor, Malik Ikhlaq Advocate, Zafar Iqbal Advocate and Sufian Akram Cheema, the counsels for the three accused, argued before court that the police had already sought seven-day physical remand of their clients during last date of hearing. They said the court should concentrate on the evidences and record produced by police and not social media. “We are not supporting the crime committed by our clients and condemn it vehemently,” the lawyers added.
The defence lawyers argued that police have no solid evidence against two clients namely Farhan and Atta Ur Rehman who could be seen in the video stopping the main accused Usman Mirza from torturing the couple. Whereas, police investigators had recovered mobile phones and weapon from the main accused, they added. The defence lawyers said what police had is only the video that could be declared an evidence and nothing else. The incident took place in a room, therefore inserting section 354 in the case proved malafide of police.
Mian Zafar Advocate pleaded before the judge that since the police had recovered mobile phones and weapons therefore his clients should be sent to jail on judicial remand.
The prosecutor opined before the judge that section 354A was only implicated by police in the FIR after the accused violated the honour of a woman. He asked the court to extend maximum remand of accused.
On the occasion, the judge questioned the police officers that had the mobile locations of the accused been obtained on which the IO replied this process is time taking and police would get mobile data soon.
The defence lawyer objected that police are attempting to show performance on media by making pleas to extend remand of accused despite of recovery of weapon and mobile phones from main accused. Judicial Magistrate ordered police to write a letter to FIA to ascertain as to who uploaded videos of couple on social media. A defence lawyer claimed before court his client was implicated in a bogus case because of a monetary issue.
After conclusion of arguments of both parties, judicial magistrate Waqar Gondal accepted the plea of police and extended four days of physical remand of accused.
Earlier, the heirs and relatives of accused had threatened the media men who gathered outside court for coverage of the case. President Islamabad High Court Journalists Association Saqib Bashir appeared before judge and lodged complaint against the persons involved in hurling threats towards media men. On this, the judge ordered the irrelevant persons to leave the court room. 
SHO PS Golra SI Asim Ghaffar, when contacted, confirmed that court extended the physical remand of the accused for four more days. He said police will solve the case purely on merit. 
Police arrest another accused in E-11 torture case
The investigators of Golra police station have rounded up another member of Usman Mirza gang for his involvement in torturing and stripping a couple in a flat located at E-11/2, informed sources on Friday.
The detained accused has been identified as Bilal Marwat. The accused was held by a special police team under command of Superintendent of Police (SP) Saddar Zone Farooq Amjad Bhutter during a raid, they said.
So far, the investigators have managed to handcuff a total of five accused in the case, source said. However, three other accused including the younger brother of Usman Mirza, who was recording the videos, are still at large, sources said.
Sources also disclosed that the police have intensified the crackdown to arrest the three fleeing accused. 
They claimed the top cop of Islamabad police had also written a letter to Director General of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to place names of the three accused on watch list to stop them from flying out of country.
Station House Officer PS Golra Sub Inspector Asim Ghaffar, when contacted, confirmed that police arrested the fifth accused involved in the high profile case and locked him behind the bars. He said police would produce the accused before a court of law for obtaining his physical remand for further investigation. He said several police teams have been constituted and raids are being carried out in different localities to nab the three accused.
In yet another development in the high profile case, the victim man recorded his statement before police investigators that Usman Mirza had taken Rs1.3 million as extortion from his wife (the victim woman) after sending her the objectionable videos. 
SSP Operations Syed Dr Syed Mustafa Tanweer, however, when contacted, said that investigators are verifying the allegation levelled by the victim man. He said police are using all the available resources to net the fleeing accused.