Karachi: A man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he was found guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering a minor girl in 2006. Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Nadeem Ahmed Khan awarded two separate 25-year sentences – one for kidnapping and the other for rape and murder – to a man named Irshad.
Besides the prison term, the court also decided to fine the convict Rs160,000 for the crimes he committed against five-year-old Tajalee, the daughter of Zahid Barkat Shah. According to the law, the convict was liable to be awarded a total of 50 years imprisonment for his heinous acts.
The girl’s father had lodged a case against the convict in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police station in 2006. He told the cops that his daughter had been kidnapped and murdered by Irshad over a personal enmity.
The convict confessed to the crime when he was interrogated by the police and the dead body of the girl was located based on directions given by Irshad. He recorded his confessional statement before the court, saying that the girl was kidnapped to settle old scores with her father, Zahid Barkat Shah. He admitted to kidnapping and sexually assaulting the minor girl. Irshad added that he feared arrest and killed the five-year-old to cover up his crime.
War Against Rape (WAR) Karachi scored another legal victory in the rape and murder case of five-year old girl, Taj, reported in October 2006.
The organisation, in a statement, appreciated the tireless efforts of its lawyers Advocate Farida Moten and Advocate Asia Muneer who along with Deputy District Public Prosecutor Muhammad Yunus fought the legal battle.
In October 2006, Baby Taj was going to a shop near her house in Gulistan-e-Johar, when she was kidnapped by Mohammad Irshad, with the help of Wali Muhammad. Both the men lived in the same neighbourhood.
Irshad took the child to an empty plot nearby, where he first raped and then brutally murdered her. Taj’s body was found 2 days later, and in a deformed stage.
The accused was identified with the help of Taj’s friend who knew that Irshad used to speak to her. On the 29th of November 2012, Districts and Sessions Judge Nadeem Ahmed Khan, pronounced the accused guilty, and sentenced him as follows: i) To serve life imprisonment and pay Rs100,000 fine, on the count of Murder u/s 302 PPC; ii) To serve life imprisonment and pay a fine of 50 000/ fine, on the count of rape u/s 10 (2) RW 365-B PPC; iii) to serve imprisonment of 5 years and a fine of 10 000/-, on the count of kidnapping u/s 363 PPC.
