KU Professor Assault Suspect Handed Over to Police in Threats Case

A judicial magistrate in Malir on Friday handed over suspect Konain Shah to police on a three-day physical remand in a case involving threats made over the phone to University of Karachi professor Dr Muhammad Arif Khan Saqi.

Shah was produced before a local court in Karachi, where police sought his 14-day physical remand. The judicial magistrate rejected the request and granted the police three-day physical remand instead.

The court also rejected Shah’s application seeking his release in the threats case.

The local court further directed police not to subject the suspect to any form of torture or unlawful treatment during custody and ordered that he undergo a medical examination before the next hearing.

The development comes a day after Shah, who was involved in the assault and wrongful confinement of KU professor Saqi and his nephew, was arrested by Karachi police in the threats case.

Police said Shah was arrested despite having obtained bail because they feared he might flee the city.

Shah had secured interim pre-arrest bail from an additional district and sessions court in Malir a day ago. The court granted him bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000 and directed him to join the investigation.

It also summoned the investigating officer and adjourned further proceedings on the bail application until September 21.

The case

The case relates to an incident near Safoora Chowrangi in which Dr Saqi was assaulted following a collision between the double-cabin vehicle and the online taxi in which he was travelling.

Police later established that the vehicle carrying Dr Saqi was being driven by his nephew, Waheedur Rehman.

According to Dr Saqi, the double-cabin vehicle was coming out of a parking area when guards signalled the taxi to stop before the vehicle reversed and hit it.

The professor said he asked the people in the double-cabin vehicle to compensate the taxi driver for the damage caused in the collision.

Dr Saqi said the hotel owner's son then got out of the vehicle, fired two shots and hit him with a pistol butts before carrying out aerial firing.

He also said that he and his nephew were taken to the hotel, where they were tortured.

Police registered a case at Sachal police station on Dr Saqi's complaint against Konain and others. The case includes charges relating to attempted murder, assault, causing injuries and wrongful confinement, police said.

Following the incident, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar sought a detailed report from the SSP East over the mistreatment and illegal confinement of the university professor.