SC reprimands Sindh police over non-arrest of accused in Dadu triple murder case

Police have not arrested accused owing to their influence, says Justice Umar Ata Bandiyal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reprimanded Sindh police officials over the non-arrest of two accused in the 2018 triple murder case of Dadu district involving PPP MPA Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial expressed annoyance over the non-arrest of Ghulam Murtaza and Zulfiqar Chandio who were involved in the murder of local government representative.

Union Council chairman Raees Karamullah Chandio and his two sons, Mukhtiar and Qabil, were shot dead in an armed attack on their house on January 17, 2018 in Ahmed Colony of Mehar taluka, Dadu.

MPA Sardar Khan and his brother Burhan Chandio were among the accused nominated in the first information report (FIR) registered at A-Section police station on the complaint of Pervez Ahmed Chandio, Karamullah’s son.

During the hearing of the case, Justice Bandiyal remarked that the police have the capability to arrest the culprits but "they are failed to do so apparently due to influence of the accused".



“This is the reason they [police] always submit the same investigative report,” he remarked.

Expressing his displeasure, the apex court judge said that the Sindh police did not take any concrete measures to arrest the accused.

“The Supreme Court will not dismiss the case if the accused were not arrested,” he added.

Justice Faisal Arab inquired why the police have not arrested the culprits despite the passage of two years. On this DIG police apprised the court that the raids had been carried out and the police were also seeking assistance from other law enforcement agencies to arrest the accused.

He also said the culprits might have escaped to Balochistan and will be taken to task soon.

Justice Faisal further inquired that whether the plaintiff had been provided security. The senior police official told the court that 10 personnel had been deployed for the security of the complainant.

The DIG also informed the bench that five of the seven accused nominated in the FIR had already been arrested.

Plaintiff's lawyer Fasial Siddiqui also briefed the court that the police had given a clean chit to one of the accused.

He said the complainant and witnesses of the case were also attacked but police did not lay hands on them owing to their influence.

Justice Bandial while expressing displeasure said the police have capacity but they need to work independently without any influence.

The apex court gave six-week deadline to arrest the accused and adjourned the hearing till third week of March.