Lahore gang-rape suspects sent on physical remand

LAHORE: A local court in Lahore sent a PML-N activist and six other suspects on three-day physical remand into police custody on Monday on allegations of gang-raping a teenage girl at a hotel here last week.

The suspects – Adnan Sanaullah (the main alleged culprit), Abdul Majid, Mohammad Umar, Qamar Zaman, Ameer Muhammad, Khalid and Bilal – were presented in court today where police asked for a 10-day remand, but the court granted only a three-day physical remand.

Sanaullah, who is alleged to be linked to PML-N leader Rana Mashhood, turned himself in to police earlier today.

During the court hearing today, the lawyer for one of the suspects, Bilal, claimed that police had wrongly arrested his client Bilal to prove their efficiency after the case was widely aired on television media. He said that Bilal had nothing to do with the incident, pleaded that DNA reports and phone records be checked and his client be released.

A case was registered against the suspects at the Race Course police station on the complaint of the mother of the victim under sections 376 (ii) and 506 of PPC. Kidnapping charges have also been included in case against the accused.

The complainant — a resident of Rana Town, Multan Road — told the police that her daughter, a student of Grade 8, had gone to a tailor's shop near their house on Friday and went missing, after which they registered a complaint with the police.

She said they received a message on Saturday that the victim was found unconscious in Room No230 of Seven Star Hotel, situated in the Upper Mall area.

A medical examination of the victim was also conducted at the Services Hospital, which proved that she had been gang-raped, the police said. The complainant said the girl had been intoxicated and assaulted by more than 10 persons.

Earlier, Mashhood – provincial education minister – denied any personal link with the alleged rapist who is a member of the PML-N Youth Wing.

“How can anyone’s name be attributed to me on the basis of a photo? Every day, we meet a number of people who take photographs with us. What Adnan has been accused of is purely his personal act,” Mashhood told The News on Saturday.

He said he was greatly disturbed to learn about the incident but what disturbed him further was the linking of his name with one of the accused.

It is important to note that Adnan is a staunch loyalist of the PML-N and belongs to NA-121 and PP-149 – the constituencies of Mehr Ishtiaq, MNA, and Mashhood, MPA.