KARACHI: A local court on Wednesday remanded in judicial custody six suspects detained in a case pertaining to alleged blackmail and harassment of a married woman, who committed suicide in Shadman Town.

Police claimed to have arrested and booked six men over their alleged involvement in blackmailing and harassing the 41-year-old victim, who ended her life by hanging herself from the ceiling fan with her dupatta last Wednesday.

The investigating officer on Wednesday produced the suspects before the judicial magistrate (Central) upon expiry of their physical remand in police custody to seek extension in the same.

He informed the court that the fleeing accomplices of the detained suspects were yet to be arrested.

He added that a video which they used to allegedly blackmail the victim was recovered from their possession and sent to a laboratory for forensic analysis, the report of which was still awaited.

Other legal formalities and investigation is yet to be completed, said the IO.

He requested the judge to extend the physical remand of the suspects in police custody for further interrogation.

However, the judge remanded them in judicial custody and directed the IO to produce them on the next date and also submit an investigation report.

According to the contents of the FIR, the complainant, a brother of the deceased, claimed that his sister committed suicide because she had been fed up with “blackmailing, harassment and threats” of the nominated suspects.

He also presented three audio messages of his sister to this effect, which she had sent to her female friend.

A case was registered under Section 322 (Qatl-bis-sabab) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Shahrah-i-Noorjehan.

TikTokers get bail

A judicial magistrate (East) granted on Wednesday bail to two suspects detained for allegedly resorting to aerial firing and posting its video on the social media website TikTok.

Earlier, the IO produced suspects Yousuf Pathan and Zubair before the magistrate to seek their physical remand in police custody.

He informed that both the men were taken into custody in Gulistan-i-Jauhar after a video showing them firing into the air went viral on social media, adding that such an act was a violation of the government policy on showing off arms openly.

He said that two accomplices of the suspects, Ahmed and Huzaifa, were still at large and requested the judge to grant 14-day physical remand of the detained men for interrogation.

On the other hand, the suspects moved applications seeking grant of post-arrest bail to them arguing that they were merely showing “toy guns” in the video and denied the allegation of the police that they were wielding firearms.

The judge granted them bail against a surety of Rs30,000 each and ordered their release, but directed them to cooperate with the police in investigation.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2021