KARACHI: In an unexpected development, Sudheer—the young man allegedly tortured by two suspects in DHA’s Ittehad Commercial area—appeared in court on Thursday and declared that he had forgiven the accused, dropping all charges against them.
The case, which had sparked public outrage, involved suspects Salman Farooqi and Owaish Hashmi, who were arrested after videos of the assault went viral. According to an eyewitness, the incident began with a minor collision between Sudheer’s motorcycle and an SUV on May 31. Despite an apology, Farooqi allegedly ordered his associates to drag Sudheer into the car, where he was beaten, threatened at gunpoint, and humiliated. His sister, who tried to intervene, was also reportedly manhandled.
After the footage circulated online, authorities took swift action, leading to the suspects’ arrest. However, during Thursday’s hearing, Sudheer told the court he bore no grudge and had willingly pardoned the accused, admitting fault for the accident. Despite his statement, the prosecution argued that the suspects should not be granted bail due to non-bailable charges, including threats and harassment of a woman. The court ultimately rejected the bail plea, keeping both men in custody.