KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Wednesday released two men allegedly involved in misbehaving with and resisting a female polio worker who was on duty.

The investigating officer (IO) produced the two men — Mohammed Saad and Shan Mohammed — before Judicial Magistrate (Central) Wajid Ali Channa, and said that the men had been booked under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at the Nazimabad police station.

The IO informed that he needed to check their criminal record and obtain CCTV footage of the place where the incident occurred. He requested the court to remand the suspects in police custody for 14 days for further investigation.

Magistrate notes Section 353, invoked by police in FIR, was not applicable

Meanwhile, the defence counsel requested the court to discharge the suspects under Section 63 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC).

After hearing both sides, the court discharged them under Section 63 of the CrPC against the personal bond of Rs50,000 each.

The court noted in its order that Section 353 invoked in the FIR was not applicable in this case.

It further added that there were no grounds to remand them in police custody or send them to jail on judicial remand either.

The court also directed the IO to file an investigation report within the stipulated period as per law.

According to police, the men had allegedly misbehaved with the polio worker, who had come to their flat in Nazimabad to administer vaccines to children during the ongoing anti-polio drive.

It added that the suspects had locked her up in their flat, where she had gone to administer polio drops.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, an anti-terrorism court remanded three alleged militants — Javed Swati, Shahid Husain and Akbar Zaib Khan — said to be linked with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in counterterrorism department custody in an explosives case.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024