'Highly influential' Rao Anwar will destroy all evidences, fears IO

SHC asked to cancel bails of 'ruthless and powerful' accused in Naqeebullah murder case

KARACHI: The Investigation Officer (IO) in Naqeebullah Mehsood's murder case has asked the Sindh High Court (SHC) to cancel the interim bails granted to some of the accused, including former SSP Rao Anwar and DSP Qamar Ahmad Sheikh.

In a three-page statement submitted on Friday before a two-member bench comprising Justice Aftab Ahmad Gorar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, IO Dr Rizwan Ahmad made some startling disclosures about developments in the case. He told the judges that the accused were 'highly influential, powerful, callous and cunning' and if they remained on bail, they would destroy or eliminate all evidences against them.

The main accused, who are on bail, include Malir SSP Rao Anwar, Qamar Ahmed Shaikh, former sub inspector Muhammad Yaseen, former ASI Supurd Khan and former head constable Khizer Hayat.

Making some startling disclosures in his statement, Dr Rizwan said that these accused had eliminated every trace of evidence from the place of the incident.



Substantiating his argument about the power and authority enjoyed by the main accused, Dr Rizwan revealed that they, before the case proceedings started, exercised their influence to pressurise the key eyewitness, Shahzad Jahangir, to take back his statement and later made him disappear.

The IO expressed the fear that all the witnesses could deviate from their statements if the bails of the accused were not annulled, adding that the accused could also force the witnesses to change their statements by terrifying them.

Dr Rizwan hence requested the court to annul the bails of former SSP Rao Anwar and others to enable the prosecution to reach the case to its logical conclusion.

In jail

The IO's report states that some accused, including former sub-inspector Muhammad Anar Khan, ASI Khair Muhammad, constable Imran Kazmi, ASI Akbar Mallah, head constable Faisal Mehmood and constable Raees Abbas, who were on the run, had appeared in court after acquiring interim bails from Hyderabad. Anti-Terrorism Court-III had annulled their bails on January 16, 2019, and ordered them to be sent to jail.



The IO goes on to state that other accused, ASI Allahyar Kaka, head constable Muhammad Iqbal, constable Arshad Ali, constable Ghulam Nazuk, constable Shafqat Ahmed and constable Shakeel Feroz, are also in jail.

The evidence

IO Dr Rizwan states that the presence of accused, Anar Khan, at the site of the incident was recorded from 1:55am till 3:34am. Meanwhile, the presence of ASI Khair Muhammad at the site of the incident was recorded at 2:15am.

The report further states that constable Shakeel Feroz is crucial link in the investigation of the case. Feroz, the report states, was a close aide of then SHO sub inspector Amanullah Marwat and had contacted ASI Gada Hussain 18 times between January 13, 2018 - the day before the incident - and January 18.

Dr Rizwan has revealed that Feroz has changed his SIM card and mobile phones several times after the incident. Therefore, the report states, all the acquired digital evidences point towards the planning and execution of the fake police encounter.

On the run

The report also mentions the declaration of seven accused, who are on the run, as absconders. These accused have disappeared with their families fearing arrest. Teams have been formed for their arrest and the search operation is ongoing.



The absconders include Amanullah Marwat, ASI Gada Hussain, Head Constable Mohsin Abbas, sub-inspector Sheikh Muhammad Shoaib alias Shoaib Shooter, Head Constable Sadaqat Hussain Shah, policeman Raja Shams Mukhtar and Rana Riaz Ahmed.

Rao Anwar reacts

Meanwhile, Rao Anwar has taken an exception to the statement of Dr Rizwan before the high court accusing him of playing some role in the disappearance of the key eyewitness in Naqeebullah's murder.

Talking to the media outside the court on Saturday, Rao Anwar demanded the Sindh government and Inspector General of Police (IGP) to assign some neutral officer to conduct inquiry into the statement of Dr Rizwan.

ATC proceedings

In a related development, the Special Anti-Terrorism Court-III declared seven accused as absconders who are on the run in the cases relating to the murder of Naqeebullah and his companions.

Former SSP Rao Anwar and DSP Qamar along with other accused appeared before thee court. Investigation officer Dr Rizwan informed the court that the process for the declaration of accused as absconders has been completed.

Court declared that the accused will be indicted on next hearing and adjourned the hearing till February 19.