SU student death: SSP to present evidence during hearing inside chamber

Jamshoro SSP has evidence regarding suicide he did not show in open court

HYDERABAD: In a petition concerning the death of a Sindh University (SU) student at the girl’s hostel, the Jamshoro police requested the Sindh High Court on Monday to give permission for a hearing inside the chamber. Jamshoro SSP Tariq Wilayat informed the division bench that he wanted to show some material evidence concerning the circumstances surrounding the alleged suicide of 26-year-old N*.

N, a final-year student of the Sindhi department, was found dead, with her body hanging from a ceiling fan of her hostel room, on January 1. The police arrested a suspect, Anis Khaskheli, a lecturer at a private college in Jamshoro, on January 4.

The police claim that the deceased and Khaskheli became friends three months before her death and that, subsequently, the latter’s alleged blackmailing created circumstances which compelled her to commit suicide. An FIR was also lodged on the complaint of N’s brother on January 6, nominating an unknown suspect under sections 315, 316 and 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 6/7 of Anti Terrorism Act and 9 and 13 of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance.

The lapsed ordinance was later corrected with the new law, Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, whose sections 15, 20, 21 and 24 were inserted. On January 11, an SU student, four lawyers, two civil society activists and a journalist filed a petition in the SHC, requesting for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the death and recommend future safety measures for hostels.

During the hearing on Monday, SU’s legal counsel sought time to submit a reply. Meanwhile, SSP Wilayat’s reply reiterated that the ‘preliminary investigation and evidence disclose [the death] as [a] suicidal incident, yet the causes and circumstances are being ascertained to establish the situation’.

The SSP informed the court that the police have collected ‘digital evidence’ in addition to oral evidence which points out ‘blackmailing and exploitation’ by Khaskheli. Wilayat also disclosed that some officials of SU were also interrogated during the investigation.

According to the petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Ali Palh, the bench will hear the case, which was fixed for February 3, inside the chamber where the SSP will show the judges evidence which he avoided showing in open court.

*Name withheld to protect privacy

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2017.