PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Monday summoned Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and sought his reply on a bail application of seven persons who were allegedly involved in kidnapping of newborns from hospitals. The gang, as prosecution claimed, consisted of female doctors and lady health workers namely Noreen Awan, Anjuman, Anwar Pari, Nadia, Ibn e Amin, Musarrat and Wajiha Yasmeen alias Jia. Counsels Shabir Hussain Gigyani, Hidayatullah Afridi and others representing the applicants appeared before the single bench consisted of Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Mazhar Alam Miankhel. Applicants’ counsels argued that police arrested them on August 11 and were accused of working in private clinics and hospitals where they were involved in kidnapping newborns. They argued that the applicants were also charged with selling the newborns and contended that the charges were baseless as the prosecution failed to bring any solid evidence against them. They prayed that the case should further be investigated and the applicants should be released on bail till completion of the re-investigation. The Court after hearing the argument summoned Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with complete record to explain legal status of lady health workers working in private clinics. The gang was arrested on charges of kidnapping newborns from hospitals and maternity homes across Peshawar.