A Lahore court on Tuesday authorized a six-day physical remand for two suspects linked to the alleged gang rape of a 22-year-old Azerbaijani woman, enabling the police to carry out DNA tests and advance their inquiry.
The suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood at the Cantonment Courts, where police requested custody to conduct forensic examinations and continue the investigation. The court approved the request, placing the suspects under police custody for six days.
The case was registered at the Defence C Police Station concerning the alleged assault on the foreign national. During the proceedings, the investigating officer informed the court that police were also aiming to apprehend a female suspect named in the case, who is expected to be presented before the court on Wednesday.
In a related development, Additional Sessions Judge Riffaqat Ali issued a directive preventing police from arresting the female suspect until October 5, following her petition for interim bail. The judge ordered her to cooperate with the investigation while instructing police to submit a progress report.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani woman provided a statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, alleging that three men sexually assaulted her after she was compelled to consume alcohol. She detailed her journey, stating she traveled from Istanbul to Islamabad on September 13, then stayed in Faisalabad for five days before heading to Lahore, intending to visit Skardu.
She recounted contacting two women for companionship after deciding not to travel alone. At around 11pm, she met one woman, identified as M*, at a café. M* informed her that N* was waiting, and they all met together. Around 2am, after having food, two men arrived in a vehicle, and N* invited them to join the group.
The woman alleged that N* accepted between Rs20,000 and Rs30,000 from a man named MN* and offered her money, which she refused. MN* then took her to another room where three men were present. When she inquired about N* and M*, she was told they had left. She requested to leave but was told she could not because her friends had accepted money on her behalf. Although she offered Rs30,000, she was informed a larger sum had been taken.
She accused a man identified as AA* of threatening and attempting to blackmail her, including threatening to call the police emergency number 15. Despite her urging him to make the call, no police arrived. The men later offered her alcohol, stating she could leave if she drank with them. After consuming the alcohol, she was told to rest until its effects subsided, after which MN*, AM*, and AA* allegedly sexually assaulted her.
Subsequently, she was taken away in a vehicle, during which the men confiscated her belongings, including Rs200,000 in cash and an iPhone. They warned her that her possessions would be returned only if she refrained from reporting the incident to authorities. She was later pushed out of the vehicle without her belongings, sought help from bystanders, and contacted the police.
Police have detained two suspects and are conducting raids to arrest a third male suspect, while the female suspect has applied for interim bail. Authorities also revealed that the two mobile phones belonging to the Azerbaijani woman remain unrecovered.
It is important to note that these allegations have not yet been proven in court, and all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.
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