LAHORE: The co-suspect in the Sialkot motorway gang-rape incident on Wednesday recorded his statement before a judicial magistrate under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc), confessing to have committed the crime.

The investigation officer first obtained an approval from an anti-terrorism court, the trial court, for presenting the co-suspect, Shafqat Ali alias Bagga, before the magistrate concerned for recording his statement.

Later, the co-suspect was produced before Judicial Magistrate Nuzhat Jabeen who recorded his statement under strict security arrangements in the courtroom with a closed door.

As per the police, the co-suspect confessed to have committed the crime on the instructions of the key suspect, Abid Malhi, who is also in custody.

The co-suspect was then shifted back to jail.

Gujjarpura police had lodged the FIR No 1369/20 under sections 376, 392 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and section 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act, 1997.

The survivor woman had already identified the both suspects as the culprits during the identification parade conducted inside Kot Lakhpat Jail.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020