2 min read
A Karachi court has sentenced Abdullah Saleem to six years in prison for blackmailing a woman through fake Facebook accounts. The judicial magistrate found him guilty of creating profiles in his friend’s name, uploading her private photos, and using them to harass her after she rejected his engagement proposal.
Magistrate Yusra Ashfaq (East) announced the verdict under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. Saleem was convicted under Sections 20, 21, and 24, receiving two years of imprisonment for each charge.
According to the judgment, the prosecution presented strong evidence that proved the case beyond a doubt. The court noted that Saleem intentionally harmed the complainant’s dignity and her family’s reputation. By sharing private videos without consent and making them public, he violated her modesty and caused lasting damage.
The court also highlighted the motive behind the crime. Saleem’s proposal had been refused because of his anger issues, which fueled resentment. In response, he created multiple fake social media accounts to circulate the complainant’s photographs as a way of seeking revenge and destroying her reputation.
State prosecutor Sheraz Rajpar explained that the complainant ended her friendship with Saleem due to his inappropriate behavior. Following this, he began misusing her personal images through fake profiles to intimidate her and her family. She told the court that he admitted to running those accounts and threatened that she would never be able to marry. At one point, he even warned that he would push her toward suicide.
During the trial, prosecutors submitted screenshots, IP logs, WhatsApp chats, and a detailed forensic report. Investigators also recovered Saleem’s phone, which confirmed that the fake accounts were directly tied to his number and IP address.
Despite denying the charges and claiming he had been falsely accused, Saleem’s defense failed to provide convincing evidence. The court dismissed his plea and upheld the prosecution’s case.
The Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Cell had originally registered the case under Sections 20, 21, and 24 of PECA, ultimately leading to his conviction and sentencing.
