LAHORE: A local court on Saturday accepted the bail plea of former MNA Liaqat Abbas Bhatti, accused of torturing and confining a thirteen-year-old domestic maid at his residence, Geo News reported.
A 13-year-old maid and her younger brother were freed after they were found confined at the residence of a former MNA in the Johar Town area of the city on Friday.
Police had arrested the ex-MNA who was presented in the Judicial Magistrate Hafeez-ur-Rehman’s court today. The media men were barred from entering the court on the request of the lawyers.
The court, at first, ordered to send the accused on a 14-day remand. Bhatti’s lawyer had also filed for bail at the same time on which the court accepted the plea against the surety bond of Rs50,000.
On Friday, police received information that a domestic maid and her brother were bound by chains and confined at the residence of former MNA Liaqat Abbas Bhatti. The police team conducted a raid and found 13-year-old Shahida chained in the servant quarter on the second floor of the residence. Her arms and feet were tied with chains. The wife of the former MNA opened the chains on the orders of the police.
Shahida provided police with information regarding her brother who was recovered from another room. The girl revealed that her father had taken a loan from the ex-MNA and when he was not able to repay it, she was left at his residence and confined.
“I was brought here six months ago. My parents said that they would not come and take me back.”
According to the former MNA Liaqat Abbas Bhatti, Shahida’s father had left her at their residence on his own free will and she was bound by another servant. Bhatti was taken into police custody and a case was lodged against him.
