*ATC indicts baton-wielding ‘Sher-e-Lahore’ in Model Town vandalism case
An anti-terrorism court on Friday indicted Shahid, alias Gullu Butt, on charges of vandalism and attacking police officials in Model Town.
On Friday, police produced Gullu before the court where he pleaded not guilty to charges. When the judge asked Gullu whether he accepted charges leveled against him by police, he refused to accept them and denied his involvement in any kind of vandalism in Model Town.
Gullu, who was caught on camera smashing vehicles parked outside the Minhajul Quran secretariat, said allegations leveled by the police are false and baseless. He added that when the incident occurred, he was just passing by the Minhajul Quran cecretariat and had nothing to do with smashing windows of cars. He contended that the owners of the damaged cars had not registered a report against him, and only the police had registered an FIR against him.
However, a police inspector, while recording his statement before the court, said Gullu was involved in vandalism and had also fired at the police. The inspector’s statement shocked Gullu who protested his innocence.
Previously, the court had handed over copies of the case record to Gullu Butt after Faisal Town police had nominated him in a challan for the Model Town vandalism case.
Moreover, the challan mentioned that videos showed Gullu committing the crime which helped in identifying the accused.
The police, however, failed to ascertain who had directed Gullu But for vandalism at the Minhajul Quran Secretariat on June 17. Gullu had been remanded in police custody for 14-days to investigate who had directed him to damage vehicles parked outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat, but the police failed to extract that information. Later, Gullu had secured bail from the Lahore High Court for a surety bond worth Rs200,000. He was later rearrested by police.
Gullu Butt, an alleged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activist and a Punjab police tout, had been arrested after he was caught on cameras damaging several vehicles during the Model Town clashes between PAT workers and police.
He smashed windscreens and windows of private vehicles with a club while police officials looked on. Later, police officials had also hugged and congratulated Gullu.
Judge Rai Ayub Khan Marth has summoned prosecution witnesses in the case on September 24 after framing charges against Gullu Butt.
