KARACHI, Nov 2: A Sindh High Court appellate bench dismissed on Friday a petition moved by Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akthar Mengal for quashment of a case of kidnapping of two army personnel and holding them hostage.
A former chief minister of Balochistan, the petitioner is being tried by an anti-terrorism court for kidnapping two army personnel on surveillance duty, taking them to his bungalow in Defence, Karachi, and torturing them with the help of four of his employees on April 5, 2006. All four employees have already been tried and sentenced to 45 years’ jail each by the anti-terrorism court. Mr. Mengal was declared an absconder and is being tried after his arrest.
The petitioner said there was no kidnapping, hostage taking or torture involved and he had nothing to do with the incident. The two army men did not belong to any intelligence agency and were harassing him and members of his family every time they drove out of his residence. His employees only brought them to his residence and admonished them.
Opposing the petition, a state counsel said the case was already under trial in a court and the accused should prove his innocence before it. Four co-accused have been convicted and sentenced and no interference by the appellate bench, which would hear an appeal against his conviction, if any, was warranted at this stage. |
