KARACHI, March 4: Additional District and Sessions Judge (Central) Nelofer Shahnawaz on Tuesday reissued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) for the arrest of three prosecution witnesses and a policeman in a case of road accident that claimed the life of two college girls in 2002.

Earlier the non-bailable warrants for their arrest were issued for not appearing in court despite repeated summons. On February 13, the judge had directed police high-ups to arrest ASI Irfan of Sharifabad police station and the students injured in the accident, Madeeha, Shahida and Saher Afshan, and produce them in court. However, the prosecution witnesses did not appear in court to record their statement on Tuesday.

While reissuing the warrants, the court again asked the police to produce the prosecution witnesses on the next hearing.

According to the prosecution, Nida Afzaal and Ravia Beenish, the two intermediate students of APWA Collage, Karimabad, were killed and many others were injured when the driver of a 5-C route bus (JA 5983) lost control while racing with another bus on February 19, 2002. Driver Mohammad Munawwar and bus owner M. Ibrahim were arrested after the incident.

A case (FIR No 54/2002) against them was registered at Sharifabad police station under Sections 320, 322 and 337 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The accused were, however, released on bail.

The court has fixed March 22 as the next date of hearing.

Gulgee’s murder

Judicial Magistrate-X (South) Asif Ahmed, meanwhile, extended judicial remand of the two accused, who were allegedly involved in the murder of renowned artist Ismail Gulgee, his wife and their maid, till March 19.

The accused were earlier sent into jail custody on a one-day judicial remand and the investigation officer was directed to file an interim charge-sheet till Tuesday. However, the IO sought more time from the court to submit the interim charge-sheet. Granting his request, the judge directed him to submit the charge-sheet till Wednesday.

According to the prosecution, Ismail Gulgee and his wife Zareen Gulgee along with their maid Asiya were strangled to death by unidentified men in their house. On December 19, police found the bodies while the driver and a servant had gone missing along with a car belonging to the deceased.

A case (FIR No 490/2007) was registered at Boat Basin police station under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On February 16, a team of the anti-violent crime unit arrested the accused Akram Ali and his associate Anwar from a hotel near cantonment railway station. The team also recovered looted cash, paintings and briefcase of the deceased from the accused.

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