8 foreign women including Raza Dar’s ‘boss’ arrested in kidnapping, rape case
LAHORE – In another development in the high-profile case of kidnapping, rape and extortion of two foreign women in Lahore, the police arrested four more accused, including a man allegedly named “Bass”.
Authorities said the suspect’s legs were broken after he jumped from the roof while trying to evade arrest, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to eight.
Raza Dar took action with the help of his cousin and other associates. Police claim that the two foreign nationals were abducted, held captive for two days, sexually assaulted, and forced to contact their families via video calls while their captors demanded a ransom.
Dar allegedly transferred $70,000 from a victim’s digital wallet to his own cryptocurrency wallet during the trial. The matter came to light when the father of one of the victims, who was in France, alerted the French authorities.
The French police then contacted the Lahore police through Pakistan’s emergency helpline in a 2-day operation that led to the rescue of the women. The police later informed the Pakistan Foreign Office and the French Embassy about the incident.
One of the victims, Astrid Gabriel, recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Penal Code, detailing what she described as days of imprisonment, torture and abuse.
In her statement, Astrid said she first met Raza Dar at a cryptocurrency event in Singapore, where he allegedly introduced himself as the son of a Pakistani minister and showed a WhatsApp profile picture with a former Pakistani prime minister, leading him and his business partner, Stephanie, to trust him and establish a business relationship.
He alleged that on reaching Pakistan, the two women were taken to an unknown house, tied up and held captive for two nights. During his imprisonment, he claimed that the suspects repeatedly demanded access to his computer and money while threatening to kill and dismember him if their demands were not met.
Astrid further alleged that she was sexually assaulted by two men during her detention. He also claimed that Raza Dar used his mobile phone to send messages to his contacts asking for money. When no one answered, Stephanie’s mother allegedly arranged for $100,000, after which Raza Dar told her she was free and returned her passports.
The suspects were driving the women to the airport when they overheard a phone conversation in which someone allegedly told Raza Dar that “the boss had different instructions.” Moments later, after the traffic collision, the two women jumped out of the car and screamed for help.
The victim raised concerns about the behavior of the first police officers who responded, alleging that they tried to drive the women to the airport and later stopped their vehicle citing mechanical failure. Fearing further danger, the women fled again before encountering another police team that also included female officers. “It was only after the real police arrived that we felt safe,” Astrid said in her statement to the magistrate.
Foreign woman’s statement of section 164 of Raza Dar’s horrific ordeal in rape and kidnapping case
The post Raza Dar’s ‘boss’ including 8 foreign women arrested in kidnapping, rape case appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
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