RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the main accused in the 2008 Mumbai terrorists attack, on Wednesday challenged the order of the duty magistrate who handed him over to the Islamabad Police on a two-day physical remand in a kidnapping case.

Advocate Rizwan Abbasi, counsel for Lakhvi, filed a petition before Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry contending that his client has been implicated in a false case and pleaded before the court to suspend the two-day physical remand of Lakhvi.

During the course of proceeding, police official Mohammad Arshad told the court that Lakhvi was accused of kidnapping a man, Anwar Khan, six years ago, adding that the notice has been sent to the complainant, Muhammad Dawood, brother-in-law of Anwar Khan, but he did not comply, the police also tried to contact him on his cell number however he was not approachable. Prosecutor Syed Muhammad Tayyab opposed the petition and pleaded before the court to dismiss the petition.

Upon which ASJ Zeba Chaudhry said that the matter was sensitive, adding that before giving decision on the application, all sides will have to be heard. The judge asked the petitioner and the investigating officer to appear before the court on Thursday.

Lakhvi was granted post-arrest bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) Islamabad on Dec 18, but the federal government has extended Lakhvi's detention for three months in Adiala prison under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the detention of Lakhvi and ordered his release. However, barely hours after his release, the First Investigation Report has been registered against Lakhvi at the Golra Police Station, Islamabad, over alleged abduction of a man, Anwar Khan.

The duty magistrate, Malik Aman Ullah, on Tuesday handed over Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi to the Islamabad Police on a two-day physical remand in the kidnapping case.

It is pertinent to mention that the IHC permitted Lakhvi's conditional release on Monday with the directions that Lakhvi must deposit surety bonds worth Rs 1 million with the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and ensure his presence at every date of hearing before the ATC.

Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged for planning and helping in carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in Mumbai attacks are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jameel Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.