Commission in Karachi criticizes first investigator in Mir Raza Ali case — Dawn
In Karachi, Pakistan, a commission investigating the circumstances of Mir Raza Ali’s murder stated that the first investigator in the case carried out almost no investigative actions and failed to follow procedures required by law. The one-member commission is chaired by Sindh High Court Justice Omar Sial, Dawn reports.
Remarks on the investigation
The commission noted that a significant part of the procedural actions was carried out by other police officers. In particular, they prepared documents concerning the examination of the body, collected CCTV footage and questioned suspects.
The first investigator, Inspector Shabbir Ahmed Laghari, questioned only 10 of the 33 people whose statements were recorded by police. According to the commission’s assessment, the questioning was conducted improperly: key questions were not asked, while the gardeners’ statements were extremely brief.
Laghari said that he received samples after the autopsy on July 30 and kept them with himself until August 6 rather than in the police evidence storage facility. He explained the delay by waiting for the autopsy report, the laboratory being closed and remarks from its staff. The inspector also admitted that he did not prepare documents concerning the seizure of the samples, as well as seizure and examination reports for a bloodstained flowerpot found at the scene.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Questions regarding evidence
Justice Sial stated that, in his view, the investigator had tried to present the case as a suicide, had not made proper efforts to collect evidence and should not be working in the police with such an approach. The judge also said that Laghari bears responsibility for the destruction of evidence. The inspector denied ever calling the death a suicide and noted that Sections 302 and 201 of Pakistan’s Penal Code had been added to the case.
The commission noted that the investigator did not obtain the digital video recorder containing camera footage, while the videos themselves were available only on a phone. The judge stated that such recordings cannot be admissible evidence. Laghari explained the difficulties during the investigation by his own illness and his daughter’s hospitalization.
The commission plans to send questions to Karachi police chief Azad Khan and Deputy Inspector General of Police Amir Farooqi, who heads the current investigation team. The hearing was adjourned until September 21, and police officers from the first and second investigation teams are to be sent notices to give testimony.
