Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted life-imprisoned convicts arrested in kidnapping of a citizen, after passing eight years.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa heard the appeal moved by accused Naseer Ahmed,Asad Ali and Mazhar Hussain.
The Chief Justice observed that receptor, Muhammad Saddique, should be part of the investigation; however he neither appeared before the investigation officer for six months, nor could submit any excuse for it.
The bench observed that Muhammad Saddique was also not recovered by the police as well and witnesses showed lack of interest to record their statements.
Justice Khosa remarked that “Our religion teaches us that we should not hide any evidence to propitiate Allah even it goes against our parents or relatives.”Subsequently, giving benefit of doubt to the accused, the apex court ordered authorities concerned to release the accused.
The trial court in 2011, awarded death sentence to Asad Ali and imprisonment for life for rest two accused, however, Lahore High Court converted death sentence of Asad into a life sentence and rejected appeal of others.
Published in Daily Times, January 23rd 2019.
