- Statement presented missing critical information: commission.
- Commission asks who authorised SHO Jauhar to view CCTV.
- Lawyer says SHO Jauhar did most damage to the case.
KARACHI: The judicial commission, formed to investigate the death of businessman Mir Raza Ali, issued a notice to investigation team head DIG Amir Farooqi on Monday, seeking clarification over the alleged withholding of records.
The commission, headed by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial, observed that the records appeared to have been deliberately withheld from it and that the deceased’s parents were raising valid concerns.
It made the observation while examining the statement of Mir Raza’s friend Raziq, saying the seven-line statement presented before it was missing critical information.
Raziq told the commission that a receipt found in the room indicated that Mir Raza had met someone named Ahmed Raja in the evening, a detail his fiancée had also shared. The commission noted that this information was absent from the police record.
The focal person gave assurances that video statements of witnesses would be submitted by Tuesday, prompting the commission to adjourn further proceedings until the following day.
‘Seal daily registers’
Meanwhile, the commission also questioned SHO Gulistan-e-Jauhar Kamran Qureshi over multiple procedural failures.
When Qureshi claimed the body had been found in his jurisdiction and he was merely assisting the relevant police, the commission questioned what investigation he had actually conducted and pointed out that immoral activities were being carried out at a guesthouse in his area, asking how the area’s watchman knew about them but the SHO did not.
“Your claim of ignorance is unbelievable,” the commission said, adding, “It appears you were not assisting but covering yourself.”
The commission asked who had authorised Qureshi to view CCTV footage and pointed out that his movement details would be in the daily register.
It directed the Sindh government’s focal person to seal the daily registers of Ferozabad and Gulistan-e-Jauhar police stations and present them before the commission.
The commission also questioned how the body had been transferred without a memo being prepared at the scene, and without the crime scene unit being present.
Qureshi said the location had been difficult to access but the commission pointed out that Edhi volunteers had managed to reach the body while police had not. “Edhi volunteers could make their way up but police could not?” it remarked.
In a damning exchange, the commission asked Qureshi why he had gone to the crime scene without the investigation officer’s authorisation, and whether he had gone to plant or remove evidence. “You seem suspicious to us,” the commission told him.
When Qureshi said a gun holster had been found in his presence 48 hours after the incident during a metal detector search, the commission asked how the holster had suddenly appeared so late, noting all other officers were present but the investigation officer was not.
The commission also questioned Qureshi over the burning of the crime scene, with Qureshi saying the CIA team had set fire to the grass to search for evidence. The commission asked if this was standard protocol and issued instructions to also serve notice on the SSP CIA.
It further issued notices to ASP Jamshed, SHO Site Super Highway and SHO Aziz Bhutto over their unexplained presence at the crime scene.
When asked how many people had been taken into custody, Qureshi said no one had been formally detained — only drug addicts had been questioned and released.
He said a person visible in CCTV footage near the body at 7am had returned an hour later and approached closer, but he could not confirm whether the person had seen the body due to grass and bushes at the location. The commission said it was difficult to believe the person had not seen the body.
Lawyer demands reports be presented
Family lawyer Jibran Nasir, speaking to the media after proceedings, said SHO Adil Afzal had told Mir Raza’s three friends not to go to the family’s home, claiming it would damage the investigation, and had also told them not to attend protests.
Nasir said the business partner had attempted to defame Mir Raza while other friends had provided detailed accounts to the commission. He said two people had gone to arrange bail while the rest remained present.
Nasir said the SHO of Gulistan-e-Jauhar had done the most damage to the case, and that SHO Adil Afzal and the head clerk were due to appear the following day.
He said every witness who had appeared so far had confirmed that the parents’ account was correct, and not a single witness had disputed it. He said he had footage of a fire at the scene and would provide it if denied.
He accused police of making a film instead of conducting an investigation, saying they had included year-old matters in witness statements. He said all forensic reports had been completed and demanded they be presented before the commission.
