Islamabad (Web Desk): A civil judge's wife, Somia Asim was arrested on Monday after a district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed her bail in a case regarding the alleged torture of a teenage maid Rizwana.
Additional Sessions Judge Farrukh Fareed Baloch heard the case.
During the hearing, the defence lawyer informed the court that Somia pleaded innocence before the joint investigation team (JIT), formed to probe the case.
“In the police record, officials wrote that the accused Somia Asim did not inflict torture. She repeatedly asked to send the maid back,” he said.
It may be noted that the suspect refuted the claims regarding the girl, named Rizwana, ever working at her home, during the investigation. Instead, she stated that she sent Rs60,000 to the girl's parents solely as financial assistance.
The lawyer maintained that the police record of the case stated that Somia did not subject Rizwana to any kind of torture.
Somia handed over the child safe and sound to her parents, he claimed while requesting the court to wait till the completion of JIT's inquiry, which is expected by this evening.
However, the prosecution opposed the plea and requested the court to dispose of Somia's bail.
At this, the court directed both parties to give arguments in favour and against the bail plea.
It also ordered the investigation officer to acquire the video mentioned by the defence lawyer, which showed Somia accompanying Rizwana to the bus stop to return the girl to her parents.
"There is no ground for the bail extension yet. There shouldn't be any fear in finding the truth," the judge said before directing the prosecution to collect evidence honestly.
Later, the court ordered Somia's arrest while disposing off her bail plea.
Somia was booked in the case after she was accused of severely torturing a teenage maid, who was moved to the Lahore General Hospital in critical condition on July 24.
On July 28, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had granted protective bail to the judge’s wife till August 1.
Last week, a district and sessions court in Islamabad had granted the suspect pre-arrest bail in the case till August 7 (today).
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered the Humak Police Station, the victim’s father, Manga Khan, reported that he had sent his daughter, aged between 13 to 14 years, to work at the civil judge’s residence in Islamabad at the monthly salary of Rs 10,000. She was tortured by the wife of the civil judge, he alleged.
Rizwana's father said found his daughter in a traumatized state with visible injuries.
