KARACHI,January 30,2005:The final case challan against Yaseen Bawani, alleged rapist and killer in the Asia case, was submitted before the court on Saturday.

However the co-accused, Amanat, was found innocent by the police that examined his case under Section 169 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and he was freed on bail.

Police declared Yaseen Bawani, son of a local industrialist, Muhammad Ali Bawani accused of raping and burning 16-year-old housemaid, Aasia. The case against the accused would be tried under Section 302, 109 of PPC (Pakistan Penal Code) read with the provisions 10 (3) dealing with the Zina cases.

The Investigation Officer submitted the final case challan before Judicial Magistrate (East), Shaista Hamid, who now would refer the same to the trial court concerned.

On Friday, since the case challan was not submitted, the court took note of the delay and issued a show-cause notice directing the investigation officer to explain the matter within three days and on Saturday, the officer filed final case challan. In this challan, Amanat, a servant of Bawani was shown as innocent. The police also filed a report and statement of Amanat under Section 169 of CrPC that pointed out that no evidence was found against Amanat to involve him in the murder case. However, the main accused, Yaseen Bawani, was found liable to be tried as a rapist and killer.

Aasia had breathed her last on January 21 after 12 days of the incident of raping and burning. A victim of sexual assault, she was brought to the Civil Hospital by a relative, Amanat Ali, with severe burns (on January 9).The injured girl, who had suffered over 90pc burn, had earlier recorded her statements before the JM.
Source: The News
Date:1/30/2005