Flawed investigation: Court summons top cops, investigation officer
Justice Qureshi stated he wanted to apprise high-ups about lapses made in probe
Islamabad High Court. PHOTO: IHC WEBSITE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court has summoned top police officials and an investigation officer (IO) to appear in court in person for defective investigation in a robbery case.
The investigation officer (IO) ‘deliberately spoiled’ prosecution’s case, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi remarked, directing the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), SSP Investigation, DSP Prosecution and the IO to appear in court on January 18, 2016 to explain.
The instructions came in response to a post-arrest bail application of a suspect, Abdul Karim.
A co-accused, Asfandyar has already obtained bail from a district court in the case.
The police registered the case against two unknown men but involved five persons in the case.
“The IO of this case has deliberately spoiled the case of prosecution by creating element of doubt about involvement of present petitioner in this case,” Justice Qureshi observed.
After going through the record it transpired that the IO himself dragged investigation towards wrong direction and created a room for further inquiry, which might result in acquittal of the suspect, the judge stated.
“Whenever such mischief is committed in investigation, it leads towards inference,” Justice Qureshi observed.
Making it mandatory for the officials to appear in person before the court, Justice Qureshi stated he wanted to apprise police high-ups about the lapses made in investigation by their IOs.
According to the FIR registered by the Kohsar police, two armed men robbed Fouzia Mufti Abbas and her sister Rabia Abbas of cash, phone, credit cards and other valuables outside a bank in F-7 Markaz on April 2. The robbers beat and injured them when they offered resistance.
As per the record presented before the district court, Karim was identified during identification parade. The police made partial recovery of currency notes on the pointation of the suspect, noted the district court record.
The medico-legal reports and statements of the sisters corroborated prosecution’s version and sufficient evidence was placed before the court against the suspects. The court subsequently dismissed his bail.
Karim’s counsel, however, argued in his bail plea that the police registered FIR against two unknown men but later ‘implicated’ five persons in the case.
He maintained that the complainants failed to assign a role to Karim during identification parade.
The currency was foisted upon him and the court had already granted bail to a co-accused, the defence counsel maintained.
The case will be taken up on January 18, 2016.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2015.
The Islamabad High Court has summoned top police officials and an investigation officer (IO) to appear in court in person for defective investigation in a robbery case.
The investigation officer (IO) ‘deliberately spoiled’ prosecution’s case, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi remarked, directing the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), SSP Investigation, DSP Prosecution and the IO to appear in court on January 18, 2016 to explain.
The instructions came in response to a post-arrest bail application of a suspect, Abdul Karim.
A co-accused, Asfandyar has already obtained bail from a district court in the case.
The police registered the case against two unknown men but involved five persons in the case.
“The IO of this case has deliberately spoiled the case of prosecution by creating element of doubt about involvement of present petitioner in this case,” Justice Qureshi observed.
After going through the record it transpired that the IO himself dragged investigation towards wrong direction and created a room for further inquiry, which might result in acquittal of the suspect, the judge stated.
“Whenever such mischief is committed in investigation, it leads towards inference,” Justice Qureshi observed.
Making it mandatory for the officials to appear in person before the court, Justice Qureshi stated he wanted to apprise police high-ups about the lapses made in investigation by their IOs.
According to the FIR registered by the Kohsar police, two armed men robbed Fouzia Mufti Abbas and her sister Rabia Abbas of cash, phone, credit cards and other valuables outside a bank in F-7 Markaz on April 2. The robbers beat and injured them when they offered resistance.
As per the record presented before the district court, Karim was identified during identification parade. The police made partial recovery of currency notes on the pointation of the suspect, noted the district court record.
The medico-legal reports and statements of the sisters corroborated prosecution’s version and sufficient evidence was placed before the court against the suspects. The court subsequently dismissed his bail.
Karim’s counsel, however, argued in his bail plea that the police registered FIR against two unknown men but later ‘implicated’ five persons in the case.
He maintained that the complainants failed to assign a role to Karim during identification parade.
The currency was foisted upon him and the court had already granted bail to a co-accused, the defence counsel maintained.
The case will be taken up on January 18, 2016.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2015.