High Court Rawalpindi Bench Judge Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan has overturned the trial court’s decision to sentence accused Ansar Abbas to three years in prison on charges of locking a pair of siblings in their estate worth billions of rupees until one of them died from starvation.

The court said it was clear that the surviving captive, Hassan Raza’s mental condition was not stable. It cited lack of evidence as the reason for the accused’s acquittal.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Chakwal had previously sentenced Abbas to three years in prison. He was imprisoned in Chakwal Jhelum jail at the time the High Court bench overturned the trial court’s sentence and acquitted him. 

In February last year, Chakwal Neela police recovered the body of 26-year-old Jabeen Bibi from a room inside a large estate. Her 32-year-old brother Hassan Raza was also recovered alongside her.