Imran Farooq murder case: FIA gets 7-day remand of three suspects

Rangers, law enforcement personnel deployed in and around the court

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court on Monday remanded three suspects into the Federal Investigation Agency’s custody for seven days in the Imran Farooq murder case.

The suspects, Moazzam Ali Khan, Khalid Shamim and Mohsin Ali, were presented before the district court as both the judges of the anti-terrorism court (ATC) are currently on a winter break. Previously, ATC-I Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi had granted a 14-day remand of the suspects.

Upon expiry of their remand, the FIA presented the suspects before the Acting Sessions Judge Raja Khurram Ali Khan, who granted a seven-day remand subject to the medical fitness of the suspects. The court directed the FIA to present the suspects before the ATC on January 4.

In the written request, the FIA sought physical remand of the suspects on grounds that they were nominated in the FIR of Farooq’s murder and that the suspects had conspired and abetted to kill the victim who was a potent threat to the leadership of the MQM.

The counsel for the suspects opposed the move.

The court, however, approved FIA’s request, observing that the suspects were named in the FIR for the commission of a heinous offence.

Rangers soldiers and personnel of other law enforcement agencies were present in and around the court when the suspects were presented before the court.

On December 5, the FIA registered a case against MQM chief Altaf Hussain and other party leaders for their alleged involvement in the 2010 murder of Farooq. He was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in Green Lane, Edgware, in September 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2015.