KARACHI: Rehman alias Bhola, prime suspect in case over fire in a factory in Baldia Town in 2012 that claimed over 250 lives, has confessed to the crime on Wednesday.
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has accepted interim challan over Bhola’s confession which states that he set the factory on fire and that Hammad Siddique and Rauf Siddiqui pocketed around Rs 40 million from owners of the factory to suppress the case. However, the suspect claimed before the media after the hearing that he was being framed. The ATC ordered authorities to arrest fugitives in the case while investigation officer Raja Jahangir told the court that Interpol had been dispatched a letter for arrest of Hammad.
On the occasion, Rangers prosecutor said that red warrant of Siddique was issued again. The court adjourned the hearing until February 14 and ordered inclusion of Rauf Siddique in investigation. At least 257 persons lost their lives in the inferno while around 600 sustained burns in the incident. A report compiled by Pakistan Rangers in the issue claimed that extortion money demands and a political party was involved in the incident. NNI