Court dismisses post-arrest bail applications of Zahir’s 2 servants

Islamabad   –  A court of law here on Thursday dismissed the post-arrest bail applications of two servants of Zahir Zakir Jaffar, the alleged killer of Noor Mukaddam. 

Additional and Sessions Judge (ASJ) Atta Rabbani announced that he had rejected the post-arrest bail pleas of Jan Muhammad and Jamil, the gardener and chef of Zahir.

Initially, the police registered an FIR on the complaint of the deceased’s father Shaukat Ali Mukaddam and had arrested three servants of Jaffar family including Jan Muhammad and Jamil on charges of abetment and hiding crime from police. Later, police fixed the duo in an interim challan.

Meanwhile, the court also dismissed an application filed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tahir Zahoor seeking registration of another criminal case with police against Zahir Zakir Jaffar and his parents Zakir Jaffar and Asmat Adam Jee.

When ASJ Atta Rabbani took up Noor Mukaddam murder case, Raja Rizwan Abbasi, the counsel for gardener Jan Muhammad, argued that his client has nothing to do with the sections of rape and murder inserted by police in the FIR lodged against Zahir Zakir Jaffar. He added that according to FIR, the deceased Noor lied to her parents that she was going to Lahore. He told court it was quite amazing that the applicant has been given access to the main accused by the police during physical remand in police station.

“Shaukat Mukadam had submitted an application on July 24, 2021 stating that he visited police station where Zahir was also sitting with the investigation officer who had confessed earlier that he would kill Noor and later claimed he had killed her. The double statement of accused mentioned by complainant was creating confusion,” the defence lawyer said.

He also raised objection over the confessional statement of main accused before investigators.

Rizwan Abbasi Advocate added the complainant also created confusion about the role of Therapy Works. On one hand, the complainant mentioned in application that Therapy Works came in the house of Jaffars to rescue Noor Mukaddam while he also claimed Therapy Works workers tied Zahir and got arrested by police on the other hand. He further said name of his client Jan Muhammad was not included in the statement recorded by Shaukat Ali Mukadam on July 24.

“No case is high or low profile as a direction of Islamabad High Court clearly said the courts should lay down verdicts as per law and without bearing any pressure from print, electronic or social media,” he said.

Shah Khawar Advocate, who appeared before court on behalf of Shaukat Ali Mukadam, raised objection about the words used by Raja Rizwan Abbasi about the slain Noor Mukadam as she was not facing the court. According to CCTV footage, obtained by police investigators, Noor Mukadam jumped from balcony and ran towards gate to save her life but she was stopped by the gardener from opening the main gate. “She could have saved her life had the gardener allowed her to escape,” Shah Khawar argued.

“The accused Zahir Zakir Jaffar kept her in illegal detention for more than 48 hours after abducting her. Noor tried to run away from illegal detention two hours before her murder,” the lawyer told the court.

Public Prosecutor Wajid Munir argued before court on behalf of state, whereas, Advocate Shahzad Qureshi appeared before court on behalf of CEO Therapy Works.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/15-Sep-2021/court-dismisses-post-arrest-bail-applications-of-zahir-s-2-servants