FAISALABAD: A woman suspected of brutally beating up a maid was sent on a 14-day remand after a special judicial magistrate on Monday rejected the bail plea.
The video of the incident went viral on social media Sunday, triggering anger with many people calling on police to arrest the couple caught on footage thrashing the minor.Â
The main suspect in the case, however, was released on bail after submitting bail bonds worth Rs100,000 a day earlier.
Meanwhile, the Child Protection Bureau Punjab has filed an application in court for the child’s custody.
The court has directed police to present the child before it on Tuesday for further hearings of the case. The child had been returned to her parents in Sahiwal after the police recovered her from the suspects on Saturday.
‘Family hit maid because she is a mental patient’
Child Protection Bureau Chairperson Sarah Ahmad, speaking to Geo News on Saturday, had said that the 12-year-old was a domestic worker employed by the family.
“The family members said that they were hitting the child as she is a mental patient. This is no justification for hitting her,” Ahmad said, adding that employing a minor was a violation of child rights in the first place.
The chairperson said that a case has been registered against the man and his wife.
Additionally, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar had taken notice of the incident and sought a report from the RPO Faisalabad, a statement from the provincial government had said.
“The chief minister has directed to take legal action against those involved in torturing the innocent child,” the statement said, adding: “Justice will be ensured to the innocent child.”
In the FIR registered against the suspects, it is mentioned that the incident had taken place in Faisalabad’s Eden Valley neighbourhood.
It further stated that the incident had taken place on December 3, however, an official from the child protection bureau had informed the police about it on Dec 5.
