ISLAMABAD: A five-member gang which implicated a resident in a “fabricated” rape case demanded Rs1 million from the family of the suspect and managed to extort Rs500,000, said police officials on Thursday.

The police claimed that the gang was hired by a senior official at the Accountant General of Punjab allegedly to settle scores with the suspect owing to some unknown dispute between the two.

In light of these claims, the police registered a case under Section 384 – that pertains to extortion – of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the suspect’s father, who is a retired serviceman.

Other sections include 506ii (criminal intimidation), 170 (personating a public servant), 384 (punishment for extortion), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted committed In consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The FIR said the suspect was shifted to the police station in a case registered against him on a complaint lodged by a woman on July 16. The woman alleged rape at Trail 3 of Margalla Hills. The next day, the father of the suspect met four persons, including the complainant, near the Kohsar police station who demanded Rs1m from him, the FIR said, adding that one of the suspects introduced him as a journalist and another claimed to be a sub-inspector of the Rawalpindi police.

One woman introduced herself as a doctor. They threatened him with dire consequences and demanded Rs1 million, the FIR said, adding that the father of the rape suspect consequently arranged Rs500,000.

Complainant, accomplices extorted Rs500,000 from suspect’s father

The gang demanded Rs500,000 more, the FIR said. According to the case, the investigation by the police revealed that the organised gang at the behest of a senior auditor implicated the suspect in the case over a dispute on an official matter. In addition to extortion, the gang members impersonated a policeman and doctor, it added.

Earlier this week, police officials said that one of the members of the said gang also had a criminal record while the complainant was also booked in two FIRs.

Last week, a woman hailing from Sheikhupura claimed she was raped after the suspect lured her on the pretext of arranging employment. A case was later registered with Kohsar police station against the suspect in response to the complaint.

According to the FIR, the alleged victim had been looking for a job for the last two months when she received a message from the man, claiming that he was an accountant at an education department where some vacancies were available.

He asked for an amount of Rs50,000 from her, saying that he could get her the job, the FIR said. Following this, the woman reached Rawalpindi from her native town on July 12 and stayed at her relative’s house in Rawalpindi. The same day the man met her at Tench Bhatta in Rawalpindi where she gave him an amount of Rs30,000 and her CV.

The FIR further said that it was decided that the remaining amount of Rs20,000 would be paid once she got the appointment letter. The man further told her that a senior officer would conduct her interview and therefore she would have to meet him.

The man said the officer would get familiar with her and select her without any objection after the meeting, the FIR said, adding that on July 13, the man picked her up from Tench Bhatta and took her to Trail 3 on a motorcycle.

The suspect then reached a wooded area where he raped her at gunpoint, the FIR said, adding that he also threatened her with dire consequences. The suspect later dropped her at Tench Bhatta and left.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2023