LAHORE: As Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat declared the gang-rape of a mother of three children a "blind case with no significant evidence", the Punjab police with the help of detectives on Friday traced and caught seven more people on suspicion of their alleged involvement in the brutal crime and started conducting their DNA testing.
Police officials said they have sent blood samples of the suspects to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) and are waiting for test reports. A day earlier, the police had taken into custody 15 persons, said to be in their 30s as described in the FIR, and conducted their DNA testing.
For the completion of geo-fencing, the police said they have taken on board cellular companies and analyzing data of phones used within the radius of five kilometres of the crime site.
Refuting reports that the police have arrested an alleged rapist who stole ATM card of the woman after committing the offence, Punjab IGP Inam Ghani in a statement said they have not arrested any such person. On the other hand, preliminary findings of the medical report of the woman confirmed sexual assault by more than a person and bruises on her face as a result of force.
According to sources, the recently-ousted Punjab IGP Shoaib Dastgir in July had written a letter to the federal secretary for communication seeking directions for the deployment of motorway police on Lahore-Sialkot section, but the secretary allegedly did not consider the matter seriously. According to the reports, the Lahore-Sialkot motorway is unsafe for travelling with no police patrolling, no service area, no petrol pump and no speed limit as drivers are free to drive as fast as they can.
While talking to the media after surveying the crime scene, Law Minister Raja Basharat termed the gang-rape incident a "blind case with no significant evidence. "This is a blind incident. There is no concrete evidence to take the matter forward. We will have to develop the evidence after a thorough investigation," he said, adding that without viewing the matter in depth they cannot view proper picture.
To a query whether the Punjab government has taken any action against the controversial Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Umer Sheikh for his heartless remarks against the victim, the minister said they are aware that there is strong resentment among the people across the country against Sheikh's remarks but keeping or ousting the CCPO is the sole prerogative of Punjab CM Usman Buzdar.
Basharat, who is heading the investigation committee constituted by the chief minister, said that their monitoring committee is reviewing all the administrative aspects and they are also looking at how they can take the investigation forward. The law minister added that the Punjab Highway Patrolling Authority was made dysfunctional but now the chief minister has approved purchase of 500 new vehicles for better patrolling.
Earlier in the day, the Punjab police deployed teams of the Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) and the Special Protection Unit (SPU) for the protection, convenience and guidance of citizen. A statement issued by the IG office says that these teams would be patrolling 24 hours a day in three shifts which would ensure safety of lives and properties of the citizens while eradicating the activities of criminal elements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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