Pak court sends Raymond Davis to judicial remand

United States official Raymond Davis, arrested after he shot and killed two Pakistani men he claimed were trying to rob him, was on Friday remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a local court in Lahore.

Davis was brought to the judicial magistrate's court in Model Town area in an armoured vehicle amidst tight security.

In an apparent attempt to confuse a large number of local and foreign journalists tracking the movements of Davis, police sent two armoured vehicles to as many courts.

"He has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The next hearing will be on February 25," Abdul Samad, the prosecutor for the Punjab government, told the media outside the court.

Shortly after the court gave its order, Davis was taken to Kot Lakhpat jail.

Authorities had recently made special arrangements for him at the prison. Officials said police are expected to submit a 'challan' or charge-sheet against Davis in court after the completion of his judicial remand.

Davis was remanded to judicial custody as police had completed their investigation into the incident in which he gunned down two Pakistani men in Lahore on January 27.

A third Pakistani died after he was hit by a US consulate care rushing to aid Davis. Earlier, Davis was presented before the judicial magistrate on January 28, when he was remanded to police custody till February 3.

The remand was subsequently extended till February 11. Top Pakistani leaders have rebuffed US demands for Davis to be freed on the ground that he enjoys diplomatic immunity, saying the matter will be decided in court according to the country's laws.

The stand-off between Pakistan and the US over Davis has taken the already tense relationship between the two countries to a new low.

The US has suspended all high-level contacts with Pakistan and reports have suggested they will not be resumed till Davis is freed. US lawmakers have warned that the matter could affect American civil and military aid running into billions of dollars.

There are also reports that the matter could impact an upcoming Pakistan-Afghanistan-US meeting and President Asif Ali Zardaris visit to the US.