Motorway gang rape case: Appeal filed in Lahore High Court against conviction of accused

According to the details, Both the accused Abid Malhi and Shafqat Baga who were sentenced to death by the anti-terrorism court in the motorway gang rape case, have filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court against the verdict.

In a appeal filed in the Lahore High Court, the accused have taken the position that the prosecution has not proved its case in the trial court and there is a contradiction between the evidence and the investigation.

The appellants contend that the anti-terrorism section was added to the case five days later and the kidnapping for ransom section was added 29 days later.

Plaintiffs said that the kidnapping for ransom section was included in the case for speedy punishment, though the charge of kidnapping for ransom was also not proved during the trial.

The petition said that even before the DNA report, Abid Malhi was named as the accused.

The police declared him a suspect without any evidence while his DNA samples were not obtained as per the prescribed SOPs.

Earlier, Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday sentenced the two main accused in the motorway gangrape case — Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali — to death and life imprisonment.

ATC judge Arshad Hussain Bhatta announced the verdict at Lahore's Camp Jail where the two accused have been imprisoned. The accused were also fined Rs50,000 each.

The ATC had concluded trial proceedings in the case on Thursday after the defence completed its arguments. The accused had sexually assaulted a Pakistan-origin French woman in front of her children last year, while her car had developed a fault on the highway.