• Fifth suspect held as court extends remand of his four accomplices
• Families refuse to get police protection after victims tie the knot

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday got a briefing by the Islamabad capital police chief about progress in the case pertaining to sexual assault and harassment of a couple as the law enforcement agency arrested a fifth suspect hours after the victims had tied the knot with the consent of their families.

Inspector General of Police Qazi Jumeelur Rehman briefed the prime minister about the investigation and the actions taken. He assured the PM that he was personally monitoring the case to ensure that the suspects got exemplary punishment, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.

The police chief said all scientific methods were being employed for collection of more evidence against the suspects, besides the video on the assault that went viral on social media a few days ago.

So far five suspects had been arrested in connection with the case, said police officials while talking to Dawn. All of them could be seen in the video that went viral on social media, resulting in the registration of a case against six suspects.

Four of the suspects, including a property agent, were produced before the court of a judicial magistrate on Friday as police investigators sought extension in their physical remand. The court granted the request and allowed the police to keep the suspects in custody for four more days.

About the latest arrest, the officials said a team under the supervision of Saddar Superintendent of Police Farooq Amjad Buttar arrested the fifth suspect, who would be produced before a court to seek his physical remand.

During the court proceedings, the ‘goons’ of the suspects manhandled and threatened a journalist covering the hearing. The issue was brought to the knowledge of the magistrate, who ordered the police to get the courtroom vacated from unconcerned people.

Meanwhile, a police team, led by SSP (Investigations) Attaur Rehman, met the couple during a visit to the boy’s residence, the officials said, adding that the boy informed the police that the girl had come to Islamabad from Lahore and for her, he had arranged a flat with the assistance of an acquaintance.

However, the officials said, the couple was followed by a group of six persons who also had the keys to the flat. They entered the place and held the couple at gunpoint, forced them to strip, subjected them to sexual assault, beat them and threatened them with dire consequences, the officers said. The suspects also forced them to do vulgar acts while they filmed the victims, the officers explained.

Later the suspects started blackmailing them for extortion money, the officer said, adding that the suspects also demanded that they visit them and act on their directions. The police said they were informed that the suspects received Rs1.3 million as extortion money, quoting the boy as telling them that only one transaction of the extortion money had been made to date.

The visiting police team requested the couple to give a written statement to become a complainant, the officers said. They said the couple also tied the knot with the consent of their parents on Thursday night. Members of both families attended the wedding, they said.

The police team showed concern about the safety of the couple, especially the girl, from any member of the two families after marriage.

However, both the families assured the law enforcers that there was no threat to the girl from any relative. They said the police also offered security guards to the couple and their family for their safety, but they refused. Yet the police assured them that they were just a call away and that security would be provided to them whenever they demanded, the officers said.

In the meantime, the police investigators seized laptops and other devices of the suspects, the officers said, adding that forensic examination of their laptops and mobile phones was being conducted.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2021