Mir Raza murder probe widens as two more officers join

Nine-member team now examining CCTV, digital evidence, business links; partner's bail extended till August 24

KARACHI:

The investigation into the murder of Mir Raza has widened with two more officers joining the probe team, taking its strength to nine, as investigators grapple with unanswered questions surrounding the crime scene and examine possible financial disputes involving the deceased.

According to investigation sources, Shah Latif SHO Inspector Ghulam Nabi Afridi and DSP IT Technical Hanif have been added to the team. The latest appointments came on August 14 after an earlier seven-member team was constituted following the initial post-mortem report.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Inspector Afridi said Mir Raza's smartwatch and mobile phone had been retrieved from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). He said the deceased's father and lawyer wanted the digital devices examined in Lahore.

Afridi said investigators visited the crime scene on August 14 but found no new evidence. They have requested additional CCTV footage covering Raza's journey from his home to the place where his body was found to determine whether he stopped anywhere or met anyone along the way.

The deceased's business partner Muhammad Ahmed was also questioned for three hours. According to Afridi, Ahmed told investigators that three or four people had contacted him seeking repayment of money owed by Raza, with demands ranging from Rs25 million to Rs50 million. Afridi said more people might come forward seeking repayment, but they were currently reluctant because they feared being drawn into the investigation.

An additional district and sessions judge extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Muhammad Ahmed until August 24 and restrained police from harassing him. Ahmed said he had appeared whenever summoned by police but was kept for up to six hours at a time. His counsel, Khalid Mumtaz, alleged that police were harassing Ahmed and said he had been called to the crime scene at around 1am, raising fears that he could be made an accused.

New investigating officer Siraj Lashari told the court he had taken over the probe on August 13 and that investigations involving 35 people were under way. He said everyone who had been in contact with Mir Raza was being questioned, particularly those identified through call records as having contacted the deceased on the day of the incident.

Afridi said additional important people could be questioned as the probe expands, but approval from senior officers would be required because summoning them could trigger objections.

The investigation, he said, remained focused on the crime scene. Nursery workers had told investigators they did not hear gunshots, while the location where Raza's body was found was so narrow that it would have been difficult for a person to reach it alone.

Afridi said if Raza had been forcibly taken there, investigators would expect signs of resistance, but none had been found so far. Similarly, if he had been killed elsewhere and his body transported to the location, there should have been corresponding evidence, which investigators had yet to find.

"There is still a lot of work to be done in this case," Afridi said, adding that questioning people close to the deceased was a normal starting point in an investigation and could ultimately help police reach the actual perpetrator.

He said the current team was examining the entire case minutely to ensure no gap was left in the investigation.