Domestic help abuse: Civil judge can also be arrested, investigators say

• Investigators say victim still unable to record statement.
• Suspect named Mukhtar arrested by police. 
• Civil judge Asim Hafeez could also be taken into custody.

ISLAMABAD: Civil Judge Asim Hafeez can also be taken into custody for investigations under the Children Act, as according to the law, employing a minor itself is a crime, officials probing the domestic help abuse said Friday.

The investigators said that the statement of the 14-year-old victim in the domestic help abuse case will expose the reality of the torture as claimed by the complainant.

"The teenage victim is still unable to record her decisive statement," they said.

The case of alleged child abuse came to light last month when the girl, employed as a domestic helper at the judge's house, was brought to a hospital in Lahore with serious injuries. 

Her parents allege that the judge's wife Somia Asim tortured their daughter during the seven months of her employment as the house help.

"The investigation of the case has almost been completed and the challan would be submitted before the court soon after completing minor unreciprocated queries,” an investigating officer said.

The police have taken into custody a key individual named in the FIR, Chaudhry Mukhtar, who is a common acquaintance of both the families involved in the case and through his reference Rizwana had been employed at Somia's house.

The investigators said that the police have collected enough evidence to prove that the civil judicial hired services of domestic help for Rs10,000 monthly salary and transferred the money to her father through Easy Paisa through his account.

“The investigation team is waiting for the recovery of the victim to record her statement which is the vital evidence in the case,” a key member of the investigation team averred, adding that the police were aware of the nuances of the case.

However, they have collected basic information about the victim's version.

A higher-ranking officer part of the investigation confirmed that the police have collected concrete evidence to prove that Somia tortured the victim for allegedly stealing some gold ornaments but could not prove the allegation true.

The officer said that the investigation team has also scrutinised CCTV footage.

The police are still busy investigating on different aspects of the case creating ambiguity.

It may be noted that Somia was arrested on August 7, after a local court in Islamabad cancelled her bail in the case. 

She is now under judicial custody till August 22.