Inquiry into extra-judicial killing dropped

Judicial inquiry head had complained about obstruction by police.

LAHORE:

A judicial inquiry into an extra-judicial killing has been abandoned without any progress after legal proceedings were initiated against the accused police officers, The Express Tribune has learnt.

On June 15, Special Judicial Magistrate Kanwar Anwaar was tasked with conducting a judicial inquiry into the suspicious death of a robbery suspect in police custody in Nishtar Colony. The magistrate was given one month, but he soon wrote to District and Sessions Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem Ahmed to complain that the police were not cooperating with him despite repeated notices. He said they had failed to answer summons to testify or produce the official record. He asked for a one-month extension.

“It seems that police officials themselves are no more interested in the judicial inquiry,” the magistrate wrote. “As yet, no liaison officer has been deputed to assist the court for finalisation of the inquiry.”

Following the letter, the sessions judge also received a petition calling for the early conclusion of the judicial inquiry. And on July 11, a challan against four police officials for the murder of the robbery suspect was submitted in an anti-terrorism court.

On August 9, the sessions judge ordered the judicial inquiry cancelled as the accused officials were now under trial.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2011.