A sessions court on 30 October 2024 sentenced three accused, including a woman, to 14 years imprisonment in an acid attack case.
Azra and her two sons, Jibran and Farhan, were found guilty of throwing acid on their neighbour, Chanda, within the jurisdiction of the Surjani Town police station in 2019.
Additional Sessions Judge (West) Aurangzeb Shah pronounced his order after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides, ruling that the prosecution successfully established its case against the accused beyond any shadow of a doubt.
He awarded 14 years of rigorious imprisonment to the two men and 14-year simple imprisonment to their mother and ordered them to jointly pay a Rs1 million fine or undergo an additional six-month imprisonment on default.
The judge also extended the benefit of Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code to the accused, which means that their detention period after their arrest would be counted in their prison term.
During the trial, Advocate Liaquat Ali Gabol, who represented the complainant, contended that the three accused had thrown acid on his client’s daughter-in-law after a dispute over dangling electric wire in the neighbourhood, causing burn injuries to her. He said that there was sufficient oral and medical evidence to connect the accused with the offence, requesting the judge to punish them as per the law.
An FIR was lodged at the Surjani Town police station under sections 336-B (punishment for hurt by corrosive substance) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Published in News Daily on 31-October-2024.