Karachi court rejected the request to extend the physical remand of activist Sarim Burney in the case of human trafficking. He has been sent to jail on judicial remand.
Burney was detained by the FIA on charges of human trafficking and fraud. He was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate Sharqi after a two-day physical remand.
Court proceedings
The investigating officer of FIA requested an extension in the physical remand of the accused, claiming that the mother of an allegedly smuggled child, Afshin, had sold the baby girl to a woman named Madiha. Madiha had then reportedly sold the baby girl to another woman, Bushra. On the other hand, Sarim Burney Trust declared the girl an orphan in front of the family court.
The investigating officer also complained in court that Sarim Burney is not cooperating in the investigation as he is not answering questions correctly. He pleaded that more than 20 victims have to be identified, but the accused is not helping the FIA in the investigation.
The court raised the question of money exchanged with the person who adopted a baby girl Haya. A lawyer said that the person who adopted the girl paid three thousand dollars. The court asked if there is any evidence related to the money. The lawyer replied that FIA is trying to get digital and financial records from US authorities.
FIA wants the case of minor girls to be tried without camera recordings, as it claimed that an organised group is involved. They also wanted Burney to get one more week on a physical remand.
The court inquired if the biological parents of the girls were alive. The lawyer affirmed that the parents of the girls are alive and will get their statements recorded in court.
Burney’s lawyer, Amir Nawaz Waraich, appeared in court and said that the family had been contacted, and they gave the girls willingly. He alleged that baby girl Haya’s mother was being blackmailed by the FIA for two and a half months.
Burney’s lawyer defended his client by saying that the accused would answer the appropriate questions. Burney said that he had evidence in his mobile phone.
However, the court asked Burney why he lied when he knew that the real parents of the girl were alive, to which Sarim said he did not know.
The court expressed surprise at this answer and remarked that Burney is the head of the institution; how could he not know?
Burney filed a bail application, but the court ordered the FIA investigating officer to record his statement and sent him to jail on judicial remand until the next hearing, which is scheduled for June 10.
A physical remand is a type of police remand in which the accused person is taken into custody so that the investigation can be carried out. However, in the Judicial remand
Previously, the FIA claimed that Sarim Barney admitted to making a mistake in his initial statement. However, in a judicial remand, the accused is sent to jail. Only after the judicial remand in Pakistan, the accused can file a bail petition before a judge.
Read more: Sarim Burney admits to wrongdoing in human trafficking case
