17 sent to police remand

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Anti-Terrorism Court on Monday handed over 17 persons to police on five day remand accused of abusing judges and inciting the public on violence in Kasur. Police produced the accused Nasir Khan, Jameel Khan and others before the court, workers of PML-N in Kasur, before the court. The prosecutor contended before the court that the accused Nasir Khan PML-N workers used offensive and abusive language against the judges during a rally in Kasur. He said they also committed sedition by openly challenging the state institutions in their protest and incited the public over violence.

He said two FIRs were registered against the accused wherein 7-ATA was also included and thus the matter would be required again to be investigated.

On a court query, the prosecutors told the court that the videos and picture and CCTV footage was also available with them. The police pleaded the court for 15-day physical remand.

However, the lawyer of the accused opposed the remand and registration of the FIR under 7-ATA. He said the accused who had been taken into custody had not been there in the protest-rally. He said police had also arrested an official of the DPO Kasur office. At this, the court observed that the matter was of sensitive nature.

The prosecutor however asked the court to allow the photo grammatical test which would clear that who was innocent and who was guilty. After hearing both sides, the court granted five-day physical remand of the accused.

On April 13, a video went viral on social media, showing the accused persons protesting and abusing the judges and judiciary at Kashmir Chowk of Kasur.