Gulgee murder case: Court once again issues notice to DNA expert

Official had examined bodies of slain artist, wife and maid

KARACHI: A district and sessions court reissued on Thursday a notice to a DNA expert who examined the bodies of artist Ismail Gulgee, his wife and a maid around eight years ago.

The award-winning painter, his wife Zareen and maid Aasiya were found dead in the couple’s house in Clifton in December 2007. The corpses were discovered by the couple's only son, Amin, who lived next door.

The police have booked the deceased's driver, Akram Ali, and another servant, Anwar, on suspicion as both had gone missing after the incident and were arrested two months later from a hotel near Cantt Railway Station. A suitcase full of the artist's paintings and other valuables was also reportedly recovered from them.

The prosecution maintains that the suspects robbed the house and strangled the couple to death. They also killed the maid the following day when she arrived for work.

The case has been lingering in South's district and sessions court despite having been fixed for judgment a year ago. It has once again been opened for final arguments due to the change of judge.

The trial now awaits the evidence of the DNA expert who is reportedly in Islamabad and has been summoned to the court now. He was earlier directed to appear on Thursday but failed to do so, after which the judge issued a notice once again.

The expert has been called over an application filed by Qazi Ashraf, a senior lawyer appointed as special public prosecutor in the case. According to an official privy to the matter, the court has examined eight witnesses during the trial spanning over eight years. The expert will be the ninth witness to be heard.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th,  2016