A man accused of stealing mobile phones from 59 women after luring them to a farmhouse in Karachi’s Gadap area with promises of job interviews was beaten by several of the alleged victims during his appearance at a Malir court on Tuesday.
The suspect, who was arrested on Monday, was produced before a judicial magistrate in connection with the alleged thefts, which took place in October after dozens of women were invited to what they believed would be a recruitment exercise.
During the hearing, the investigating officer informed the court that the suspect had been arrested the previous day and that a number of stolen mobile phones had been recovered from his possession.
The officer requested physical remand, explaining that additional phones remained missing and that other individuals allegedly involved in the scheme had yet to be apprehended.
The magistrate granted police one day’s physical remand to continue the investigation and recover the remaining property.
Meanwhile, several women who had allegedly lost their phones during the incident gathered at the court premises, where they confronted the suspect as he was being escorted by police.
Video footage of the incident showed the women demanding that officers reveal the suspect’s face before surrounding him and striking him with slippers and slapping him.
As the suspect attempted to move away, some of the women pursued him until police intervened and took him inside a room.
A day earlier, Malir Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada confirmed that investigators had recovered 40 mobile phones from the suspect.
According to the senior police officer, the arrest followed a tip-off that the suspect was attempting to sell the phones, allegedly to dispose of evidence connected to the case.
Police intercepted him while he was reportedly carrying the devices for sale.
Pirzada said investigators had obtained information suggesting that the remaining 19 phones were in the possession of another suspect who remained at large.
He added that police were making efforts to locate and arrest the absconding individual.
Explaining how the alleged scheme operated, the Malir SSP said the principal suspect had reportedly worked with a female accomplice to create a WhatsApp group and circulate employment advertisements targeting women seeking jobs.
The advertisements were allegedly used to persuade the women to attend interviews at a farmhouse in Gadap.
Police said the suspect subsequently arranged a bus to transport the applicants to the location, where their mobile phones were allegedly stolen.
A first information report (FIR) was registered at Gadap City police station on the complaint of one of the affected women.
The case includes provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to theft under Section 379, cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property under Section 420, and acts committed by multiple individuals in furtherance of a common intention under Section 34.
Investigators are continuing efforts to recover the outstanding mobile phones and apprehend the remaining suspects.