The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought comments from the provincial law officer and additional prosecutor general on a petition seeking fresh probe into a rape case.
An NGO – Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research (PILER), and the father of a 13-years-old rape victim approached the court challenging an order of the judicial magistrate South who acquitted the accused.
The victim’s father, Ashiq Hussain, submitted that her daughter, a maid in a house in DHA area, was subjected to sexual assault by her employer and later threatened of dire consequences for keeping silent over this brutal act.
He said due to threats hurled on her daughter, she attempted to commit suicide by consuming bottle of phenyl and fell unconscious. Subsequently, she was moved to Ziauddin Hospital for medical aid where medical tests were conducted.
The petitioner said after his daughter was raped, she was taken to Darkshan police station for registration of an FIR against the accused employer but the police initially refused to lodge it. Later, a case was lodged at Darakshan police station against the employer on the SHC order.
He said a statement of the victim under Section 161 of CrPC was recorded in presence of the suspect and his daughter had identified the accused.
He said the police had filed a charge-sheet on June 6, 2013, without recording statement of the victim under Section 164 of CrPC and moved an application before the judicial magistrate.
The petitioner said that the judicial magistrate deposed of the case on July 26, 2013. He said that the investigation officer was hand in gloves with the accused and conducted biased investigation. Therefore, he prayed to the court to set aside the order of judicial magistrate.
The investigation officer, however, denied all the allegations against him and stated before the court that he conducted investigation with on merit.