LAHORE: The Organised Crime Unit (OCU) of Lahore police arrested a TikToker on Thursday for allegedly claiming to be the mother of an ‘rape victim’ from Punjab College. The woman, identified as Sara Khan, was taken into custody on charges of making false statements, inciting public sentiment against authorities, and urging people to participate in street protests.
Her arrest followed a complaint lodged at the Gulberg police station after a video she posted on TikTok went viral, drawing public attention to an already controversial case and reportedly encouraging students to engage in violent protests.
DIG Imran Kishwar stated that a special police team apprehended Sara Khan outside the Lahore High Court, where she had gone to seek bail in a separate case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing. The police had been actively searching for her after a case was registered on the complaint of Gulberg police sub-inspector Mohammad Imran, citing the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, among other charges. In her viral video, Sara Khan, a Karachi resident with a permanent address in Multan, claimed to be the mother of the alleged victim, further fueling public controversy.
Given the sensitivity of the case, the Punjab government formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to lead the probe. The JIT, headed by Model Town OCU SP Aftab Phularwan, includes DSP Faisal Shareef, Inspector Fiza, and representatives from the Intelligence Bureau and FIA. DIG Kishwar confirmed that Sara Khan is now in JIT custody for further investigation.
