Police to nominate witness in Adeel-Tatla case

LHC orders police to produce accused on February 24

LAHORE: Police have decided to nominate Asad Bhatti, a co-accused in Adeel-Tatla case while on the other hand, the custody of Bhatti has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan directed the Punjab police to produce alleged co-accused Asad Bhatti, before the court by February 24. The accused has been arrested in the alleged murder of former assistant advocate general Shahbaz Tatla case.

As the proceedings commenced, Justice Waheed directed the quarter concerned to produce the co-accused before the court by said date. The petitioner Ziad Sarwar Bhatti advocate challenged the detention of the accused contending the court that Bhatti had appeared before the court on February 15 but since that date, he had been kept by police officials in illegal custody.

He said the cops were also torturing Bhatti. If the things remained the same, the detainee may lose his life in the police custody. He requested the court to pass directions to police high ups to produce the detainee before the court.

The investigations in SSP Mafakhar Adeel and former law officer Shahbaz Tatla are underway. Bhatti is a mutual friend of SSP Adeel and Tatla. The decision was made after showing all the evidence to Tatla’s family. On the other hand, the custody of Bhatti in the Shahbaz Tatla case was challenged in the LHC.

Police sources said efforts were being made to arrest Mafkhar Adeel while legal counsel was also in place to nominate Bhatti in the case.

The SSP’s disappearance has created confusion and so far no breakthrough has been made in the investigation.

Sources revealed that several women who were in contact with Adeel were questioned in the investigation. Bhatti had revealed that four months ago Shahbaz had quarrelled with him and he (Shahbaz) hit the head with an iron rod.

Adeel-Tatla case: Zodiac killer leaves police confused

Police said the inquiry conducted so far revealed that Adeel did not go out of the country legally.

Asad Bhatti, a close friend of the missing Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Mufakhar Adeel, has told the police that the SSP killed former advocate general of Punjab Shahbaz Ahmad over a dispute that erupted between the two during a dance party.

During the investigation, Bhatti revealed that Adeel was addicted to various types of drugs including cocaine. He said the SSP had rented a house in Faisal Town for dance parties and other activities.

The investigation officers also found a stock of videos on Bhatti’s phone. These videos showed a number of high-ranking police officers and inspectors along with several prominent figures from different walks of life with Adeel in dance parties. In these videos, people were seen using drugs freely. Bhatti told the investigators that a party was held at the Faisal Town house on February 5 where a dispute occurred between Adeel and Shahbaz. The party ended early and people left.

Bhatti told the officers that when he returned to the house after Adeel called him, he saw that the SSP had killed Shahbaz. The cop asked him (Bhatti) to help dispose of the body and threatened to kill him if he refused to help him.

Bhatti said they both dissolved Shahbaz’s body parts in an acid-filled drum which was already there.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2020.