ISLAMABAD: A district and session court in Islamabad has ordered the remand of Somia Asim, the wife of a civil judge, to jail for 14 days in connection with a case involving the alleged torture of an underage domestic worker. The incident, which occurred in the capital, sparked public outrage and legal proceedings.
The charges against Somia Asim stem from severe allegations of torture inflicted on a teenage maid. The girl’s parents took her to the hospital in critical condition. The victim’s medical examination report described a range of injuries, including lacerations, bruises, fractures, and attempts at strangulation.
Initially, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the judge’s wife for criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement. However, there was no explicit mention of physical torture earlier. Later on, the police added additional charges, including murder, to the FIR.
After a series of legal developments, including protective bail and pre-arrest bail, the district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected Somia’s pre-arrest bail application. As a result, the police arrested her from the court premises after the rejection of her bail.
During the recent court hearing, the investigation officer requested a seven-day physical remand for the suspect to conduct an inquiry. Somia Asim objected to this, stating that she had fully cooperated with the investigation and would continue to do so. The court noted that the investigation officer could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the material requiring further investigation.
The court’s order indicate that the suspect’s custody had led to the collection of evidence. It also mentioned that the alleged offenses did not fall under specific categories that would grant her an exemption under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
As a result, the suspect was sent to jail, and she is scheduled to appear in court again on August 22. The court has also instructed the investigation officer to submit a report.
