KARACHI – Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Bhola, the main suspect of the devastating 2012 Baldia factory fire in Karachi that killed 257 people, has been handed over to police on remand till December 19.
“An Anti-Terrorism court ordered that an SP rank police official be appointed for the investigation into the case”, reports Geo News.
The anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi also expressed resentment over non-appointment of Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) as the investigation officer.
Abdul Rehman, 46, was detained by Thai Interpol at a hotel in the red light district Nana area of the Bangkok on Friday evening.
Later, he was brought back to Karachi by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Bhola pleaded not guilty in the court. “The allegations hurled at me are false. Asghar Baig had set the factory on fire,” he said.
He claimed that the garment factory in Baldia Town was set on fire on the order of Hammad Siddiqui, Karachi Tanzeemi Committee in-charge.
Bhola added that several other Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members were also involved in the incident.
