Azerbaijani woman to record statement in Lahore rape case

During Sunday’s proceedings, the court directed the investigation officer to produce the woman before the relevant area magistrate on September 28 for recording of her statement. The court observed that Sunday was a public holiday across the country and that, apart from remand matters, other cases could not be taken up for hearing.

The court therefore postponed the recording of the woman’s statement and issued directions for her appearance before the relevant magistrate the following day. Under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a magistrate may record a statement during the course of an investigation.

Such a statement forms part of the judicial record and can be relevant to the subsequent investigation and court proceedings. The court also directed police to continue efforts to trace the suspects nominated in the case.

Police were instructed to issue notices to the nominated suspects when they become available. The allegations in the case remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. No finding of guilt has been made against any accused person at this stage.

Police are expected to continue their investigation and collect relevant evidence as part of the case. The statement of the complainant before the magistrate is expected to form part of the investigation record. The case involves a foreign national, and the proceedings have attracted attention because of the nature of the allegations.

However, the legal process will determine the facts and responsibility of any individual named in the case. The woman’s statement is scheduled to be recorded before the relevant magistrate on September 28, following the court’s directions.