Prime suspect arrested in Margalla Hills 'rape' case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police have arrested the prime suspect who allegedly raped a woman at one of the trails of the capital’s Margalla Hills, ARY News reported on Monday, quoting the federal police.

In a statement, the Islamabad Police said it was successful in arresting the suspect after a three-day effort.

The police stated that it arrested the man late last night on “technical bases” after searching for him, claiming that the victim was not assisting the police in the investigation.

As per the initial medical examination, the police claimed, “the rape had not been proved”, adding that there were “no signs of resistance or marks due to the bushes” at the trail.

A day earlier, the federal police said it was investigating the incident “on merit” and claimed that according to the victim’s medical report, “evidence of assault was not found”.

The police had also claimed that there was ‘friendship’ between the victim and the suspect. “The plaintiff (victim) is reluctant to cooperate with the police and has not provided the suspect’s details,” it had said.

The police went on to assert that the Margalla Hill trails were safe, and that “drone surveillance and effective patrolling” were ensured there.

The FIR

The FIR was registered on the complaint of the victim under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code at Islamabad’s Kohsar police station in the early hours of the morning.

According to the survivor, the accused contacted her via WhatsApp around a couple of months ago. During their conversation, Noman told her he was an accountant in the education department.

Read More: Woman allegedly raped at Margalla Hills’ hiking trail in Islamabad

“He told me he was an accountant in the education department, where some vacancies were available,” the FIR quoted the complainant as saying, adding he asked for Rs50,000 in return for the job.

She told police that the suspect also asked her to come to Rawalpindi and she reached there on Wednesday (July 12).

The woman, a resident of Muridke in Sheikhupura district, agreed to come to Islamabad for the interview with cash, the FIR stated.

She arrived in Rawalpindi on Wednesday and stayed with a relative. On the same day, she met Noman and paid him Rs30,000. She was supposed to pay the remaining Rs20,000 after getting the job, the FIR added.

The FIR stated both agreed to meet the next day, Thursday, on which the heinous crime took place. She said her attacker was armed and threatened her with dire consequence if she tried to shout for help or seek legal help later.

The complaint said the suspect later dropped her at the last bus stop of Tench Bhatta after threatening her again.