By: Zaib Azkaar Hussain
Karachi: Charges against a man accused of raping his minor daughter will be framed on February 24 in a local court.
Additional District and Sessions Judge (Central-III) Rashida Siddiqui had rejected the bail plea of the accused, Meraj, on February 6 after the medical report and other evidence proved that he had repeatedly raped his 10-year-old daughter.
The medical reports clearly state that the minor girl was raped several times by the accused. Meraj was arrested after a case (FIR No 234/2013) was registered by a senior journalist, Mushtaq Sarki, and a fresh law graduate, Majid Khakhrani, on November 26 last year.
The accused was caught red-handed by the investigation officer, Sub Inspector Zulfiqar.
The complainant, Mushtaq, and an eyewitness, Majid, both claim that they have been receiving threats by certain supporters of the accused.
According to the prosecution, a sister and brother of the victim, aged 13 and 7, managed to run away from their house and approached Sarki for help. They informed him that their father had raped their minor sister several times and the allegations were also confirmed by their eldest brother, who is 14 years old.
Meraj, a shopkeeper and resident of Paposh Nagar, was subsequently arrested and, as the accused’s wife had divorced him five years ago, the children moved into Sarki’s house until their mother returned from abroad.
The mother, who had shifted to Kuwait to live with her brother, had also been regularly sending money for the children’s upbringing.
However, she claimed that the accused never allowed her to speak with the children over the phone.
Neighbours confirmed that the children were kept in a miserable condition by their father, who never cared for their education and preferred to keep them at home. Meraj also used to lock the main door whenever he went out for grocery shopping or errands, usually taking his eldest son along. It was revealed that the concerned neighbours used to toss over bags of food for the children to eat.
The victim herself has also confirmed the incest, although the innocent minor remains unaware of the gravity of her father’s crimes. The children are now living with their mother, who is trying to take them abroad with her but has been unsuccessful due to documentation problems.
A sister of the accused, who was earlier assisting him in the legal matters, has also rescinded her support after learning about Meraj’s wretched crime. The court has already recorded the statements of the children and other witnesses, and charges will now be framed on February 24.
