Police have added two serious provisions to the case involving the alleged rape of a mentally disabled girl at Lahore’s Ghaziabad police station.

According to police officials, Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code, relating to kidnapping or abduction, and Section 376(4), concerning rape, have been added to the case.

Legal experts say Section 376(4) carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction.

The case was initially registered under the general rape provision of Section 376. Police said the investigation was continuing and further facts would emerge after the investigation and forensic process were completed.

The alleged incident has also triggered disciplinary action against police officials.

DIG Operations and DIG Investigation suspended 78 officers and personnel of the police station, including the station house officer and front desk staff.

The investigation in-charge was also suspended over alleged negligence in supervision.

ASI Imran, an investigation wing official and the main suspect in the alleged assault, was arrested shortly after a case was registered against him.

Meanwhile, the preliminary medical examination report has emerged. It found no clear evidence of rape, but police said the final facts could only be established after detailed forensic reports.

In an application submitted to police on August 2, the girl’s mother said her daughter left home at around 1pm and did not return.

She said that while the family was searching for her, a man identified as Faisal Yousuf told them that a police officer in plain clothes had taken the girl away on a motorcycle.

According to the mother, when she reached the police station, the family received a call saying that the girl had returned home. She said her daughter was crying when she arrived.

The mother alleged that the girl told her that ASI Imran had forcibly taken her from a market to the police station, taken her to Room 4 and sexually assaulted her before sending her home in a rickshaw at around 9pm.

Imran has denied the allegations. In his statement, he claimed that the girl and her family used to beg in the area and that he had repeatedly stopped them from doing so.

He said he took the girl to the police station only to frighten and warn her after she continued begging, and denied assaulting her.

Police said all aspects of the case were being investigated impartially.