Police encounter: ‘Cell phone records would help locate police officials’

CCPO has ordered a fair investigation to rescue the police department’s image.

LAHORE:

The investigation of the alleged extra judicial killing of Shahbaz Butt by police officials would move forward substantially if mobile phone records of all the officials involved were made available, a senior official close to the investigation told The Express Tribune speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The official said that if mobile phone records of SHO Naveed Akmal, investigation in-charge Zulfiqar Vario and SI Akber Ali were produced several facts would be easily ascertained regarding the case.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Major (retd) Mubashar Ullah, the inquiry officer, told The Tribune said that he had found four officials guilty while recommending that six others be investigated. He added that the investigation team should question the suspect police officials and fix responsibility for the killing.

According to SI Riaz Ahmed’s confession, Vario instructed Butt to make a run for it and told the police officials to fire at him. Both have denied charges and refuted allegations that they were in contact with senior police officials during the entire episode.

The official said that the mobile phone records would help establish the location of the accused men and also bring out who they had been in contact with during that time. He added that the DSP Riasat Ali Javed and others were arrested before registration of case against them by the inquiry officer which raised questions regarding the authenticity of the inquiry.

He said they were conducting the investigation from all aspects as directed by Capital City Police Officer Ahmed Raza Tahir as the incident has damaged the image of the police department as well as officers. The CCPO had directed that a fair investigation take place, he said.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2011.