A former University of Karachi (UoK) professor has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of online harassment.
Dr Farhan Kamrani – a former assistant professor at UoK’s Department of Psychology, has been awarded eight years’ imprisonment by a district and sessions court (East) for harassing a female teacher on the internet.
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In his verdict, District and sessions’ judge (East) Khalid Hussain Shahani also slapped a fine of Rs 1 million on Dr Farhan Kamrani under Section 21 (offences against modesty of a natural person and minor) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
The failure to pay the fine will result in additional imprisonment, read the court verdict.
Following the court’s decision, Dr Farhan Kamrani was arrested from the courtroom and sent to jail.
2016 Cyber Harassment Case
A case was lodged under the relevant sections of Peca, 2016 and PPC at the FIA Cyber Crime Circle police station on the complaint of the female teacher on October 4, 2016.
The victim had accused Dr Farhan Kamrani of creating a fake Facebook account by her name and posting doctored ‘immoral’ and pornographic pictures of hers.
Following the complaint, authorities reached out to Facebook seeking details regarding the fake account ID.
The information provided by the Facebook along with undeniable forensic evidence obtained from a broadband modem, a computer and a mobile phone were seized from the accused, proved Dr Farhan Kamrani guilty of the crime.
During the hearing, Defence counsel Ahsanullah Khan objected to the charge against his client and argued that prosecution’s case adding that the latter failed to produce the computer allegedly recovered from his client’s possession and sent for forensic analysis.
The Investigation Officer failed to produce any information obtained from the Facebook management and a private internet service provider, while his extrajudicial confession before the police had no legal value, he added.
Meanwhile, Special public prosecutor Zakir Hussain contended that the accused has in fact confessed to the crime, whereas the digital forensic evidence also reaffirms the claims made by the victim against Mr Kamrani.
The court then ruled that Dr Farhan Kamrani is in fact guilty as accused and awarded three years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs1 million on him for committing an offence punishable under Section 21 (offences against modesty of a natural person and minor) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
Separately, the court also awarded a three-year prison sentence to him and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 for the offence punishable under Section 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Furthermore, the accused was awarded another a two-year prison term and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on him for an offence punishable under Section 500 (punishment for defamation) of the PPC.
