Man, woman sentenced to RI in blackmailing, torture case

FAISALABAD, Mar 31 (APP):Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge Anti-Rape Court/FIA, Kaneez Faiza Bhatti, has awarded Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) along with heavy fines to a man and a woman for torturing and blackmailing a girl by sharing her objectionable videos on social media.
According to the prosecution, the FIA Cyber Crime Wing had arrested the accused Sheikh Danish Ali resident of Paradise Valley-II Sheikhupura Road and Maham Fatima resident of Gulistan Colony No.1 after registering a case on August 17, 2022. They were charged with subjecting a girl Khadija Ghafoor Awan of University Town Sargodha Road to torture and blackmailing her through dissemination of her objectionable videos online.
The FIR was registered under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 including sections 3, 4, 16, 20, 21 and 24, and after completion of investigation, the challan was submitted in the competent court of law.
After examining the evidence and hearing the witnesses, the learned judge Kaneez Faiza Bhatti convicted accused Sheikh Danish Ali and awarded him three months Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) with a fine of Rs50,000 under section 3 of PECA, six months RI with a fine of Rs100,000 under section 4, three years RI with a fine of Rs5 million under section 16, three years RI with a fine of Rs1 million under section 20, five years RI with a fine of Rs5 million under section 21, and three years RI with a fine of Rs1 million under section 24.
The court also directed the convict to pay Rs10 million as compensation to the victim Khadija Ghafoor Awan under section 45 of PECA for causing loss to her reputation, dignity and honor.
Similarly, the court sentenced co-convict Maham Fatima to three months RI with a fine of Rs50,000 under section 3, six months RI with a fine of Rs100,000 under section 4, two years RI with a fine of Rs2 million under section 16, two years RI with a fine of Rs500,000 under section 20, three years RI with a fine of Rs3 million under section 21, and two years RI with a fine of Rs500,000 under section 24 of PECA.
The court further ruled that in case of default in payment of fines, both convicts would have to undergo additional imprisonment ranging from 15 days to six months. However, they were extended the benefit of section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code, and all sentences shall run concurrently.