Police to ‘thoroughly’ probe escape of Dua Mangi’s kidnapper

KARACHI:

A thorough investigation has been launched into the escape of the main accused in the Dua Mangi kidnapping case. The suspect, Zohaib Qureshi, managed to flee after being taken to a mall on Tariq Road by court police for shopping.

Dua Mangi, 22, had been abducted outside a restaurant in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in 2019. She was walking with her friend on a street in the area when the kidnappers pulled up and threatened them both with a gun. When the friend resisted, he was shot by one of the kidnappers who then abducted the young woman and fled.

Police obtained CCTV footage of Zohaib Qureshi's escape from a security camera installed at the mall on Tariq Road and its surrounding areas. A case has been registered and two policemen of the court escorting the suspect were arrested. The accused had also arranged for a vehicle outside the court in which he went to the mall with the now arrested policemen.

Police said that details of those who came to meet the suspect in jail are also being obtained. According to reports, the main accused in the Dua Mangi case, Zohaib Qureshi, was produced in court on Thursday. After the appearance, the accused was taken to a mall on Tariq Road by court police officers for shopping.

However, he disappeared from inside the mall. Ferozabad police registered a case under sections 223/224/225A of the CrPC and started an investigation. Officials said two court policemen, Habib Zafar and Younis, have been arrested.

Reports suggested that when the suspect and law enforcement officials emerged after appearing in court, they sat in in a private car instead of a government vehicle and reached Tariq Road. When asked about the vehicle, the two officials repeatedly changed their statements.

On one hand, they claimed the car was called online and, on the other, said it was acquired privately. The policemen were also unable to provide a record for the online acquisition of the car.

Sources said the escape of the suspect was preplanned and Qureshi had arranged the vehicle outside the court. It can clearly be seen on CCTV footage that when the vehicle stopped outside the shopping mall, the accused got off with great satisfaction and entered the mall alone.

After a short time, the policeman are seen coming out from the car. Observers noted that this clearly demonstrated that the cops were also involved in his escape.

The vehicle, in which the accused escaped, is in the name of a private bank. Police have also started obtaining footage of other CCTV cameras on Tariq Road which will help determine the escape routes he took.

Read More: Two ‘kidnappers’ killed, abductees rescued

Qureshi had allegedly abducted Dua Mangi in November 2019. Subsequently, he received a large ransom for her release. Earlier, the accused and his accomplices had released an abducted girl named Bisma after receiving a large sum of money.

Apart from several kidnappings for ransom, the accused allegedly took extortion money from people in industrial zones. Qureshi is also the relative of a central leader of a nationalist party.

Investigating sources further said that the data of those who came to meet the accused during his imprisonment is being collected. Police are conducting an extensive investigation into the incident.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, taking serious notice of the Zohaib Qureshi's escape, directed the provincial inspector general of police to lock up the concerned policemen and form a high-profile police party to arrest the accused.

The chief minister was told that accused Zohaib Ali, son of Mumtaz Ali Qureshi, along with four accused, was brought before the court of Judicial Magistrate VII East on January 27, 2022, in a case of Ferozabad police. The accused got the next date of hearing and was escorted back to jail by Head Constable Naveed and Constable Zafar Habib.

The report said that in connivance with HC Naveed, the accused used a private car to buy shoes from Tariq road and escaped there from due to the negligence of policemen.

On the directives of the chief minister, a police party, comprising DIG East and officers of the CIA, has been formed to find Qureshi and bring him to book.

Remanded

Judicial Magistrate West handed over Naveed and Habib Zafar to the police on physical remand till Monday. The two police officers were presented to the magistrate at the Karachi City Court for their alleged involvement in helping Qureshi escape.

The investigating officer said a case was registered on the complaint of ASI Muhammad Khalid. The also court sought a progress report from the investigating officer at the next hearing.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2022.