Lawyer’s death: Three suspects arrested in Murtaza Chinoy murder case

Police say stolen items from the slain lawyer's office recovered from the men.

KARACHI: A breakthrough in the case of lawyer Mohammad Murtaza Chinoy's killing was made early on Friday, as the police arrested three people.

According to the police, a custodial staff member employed at Chinoy's firm is the main suspect. The custodian is believed to have enlisted criminals in his bid to kill Chinoy. An investigation team, headed by Frere DSP Zameer Abbasi, was formed to look into the case.

Police investigators say that they were able to crack the case by tracing the cell phone calls of the victim's office custodian, Naveed. DSP Abbasi told The Express Tribune that he had suspected Naveed's involvement from the onset of the case, but since it was a high profile issue, the police completed a thorough investigation.

"We were following Naveed's movements as well as tracing his phone calls," DSP Abbasi said. "He finally turned out to be the culprit."

According to the officer, the police arrested Naveed's companions, Zahid, and his younger brother, Sajid, during separate raids in Mehmoodabad and Korangi.

Police officials also claimed to have arrested stolen saving certificates worth Rs2 million, Chinoy's laptop and cell phone as well as the TT pistol used in the crime. Abbasi said that the suspects have confessed to the crime and the stolen items have also been recovered.

The official said that during the initial course of interrogation, the suspects defended their actions and told the police that they had no intention of killing Chinoy. However, Zahid allegedly shot Chinoy twice when he put up resistance. SHO Ishaq Lashari, who was also the part of the investigation team, said that Naveed had been working with Chinoy for a year. According to Lashari, the suspects are professional criminals and had been involved and arrested previously for similar crimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2011.