Rangers personnel indicted in murder case

Deceased’s sister contended that her sister-in-law was involved in killing as she provoked the soldier to open fire

KARACHI: A district and sessions court framed on Saturday 'unintentional murder' charges on a Rangers personnel for killing a young man who was scuffling with his estranged wife some two years ago.

District Central's top judge, Rashida Asad, framed charges on the paramilitary soldier, Raham Noor, for the murder of Zeeshanuddin. She deferred the indictment of Shafia, the wife of the deceased, till today (Monday) after she filed an acquittal plea in court.



According to the prosecution, Zeeshanuddin, 30, was scuffling with his wife publicly in Nagan Chowrangi area when the Rangers sepoy opened fire on him. The incident occurred in February, 2014.

Initially, the case was lodged solely against Noor on Shafia's complaint. However, later the case was re-registered against both of them after the sister of the deceased approached the court, contending that her sister-in-law was involved in the killing as she provoked the paramilitary soldier to open fire.

When the judge read out charges to the accused soldier, he pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case. Thereafter, the judge issued summons to the prosecution witnesses to appear at the next hearing on August 20 and record their testimonies.



The suspect is being tried with unintentional murder charges as initially registered. During the initial phase, however, the suspect was ordered to be tried for premeditated murder by a judicial magistrate on the grounds of what he observed as sufficient evidence and statements of witnesses under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The premeditated murder clause was later removed by a district and sessions judge as he overruled the magistrate's order.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2016.