Servant admits role in Hina Javed's murder

Investigators continue forensic and polygraph tests on the suspects

RAWALPINDI:

One of the suspects, who is a house servant and was arrested in the murder case of 45-year-old digital designer Hina Javed, confessed to the crime and disclosed details of the incident, police claimed on Thursday.

The development came as Rawalpindi Duty Judicial Magistrate Rana Shehbaz Khan granted police a further three-day physical remand of the two arrested suspects - Hina's husband Faisal Asghar and his servant Zeeshan - and directed investigators to complete their investigation and submit a challan on August 28.

The suspects are due to be produced before the court again.

According to police, the investigation team has completed DNA and special polygraph tests of both suspects. The results are expected within two to three weeks. Police said the third suspect, Hina's father-in-law, retired officer Asghar Fayyaz, had also joined the investigation but had not yet been arrested.

The investigation officer told the court that the suspect was intelligent and was not fully cooperating with the investigation, although progress was continuing.

During his court appearance, Hina's husband allegedly pretended to be mentally unwell. The court expressed displeasure and ordered him to stand properly in the dock.

Police said he continued the alleged pretence after leaving the courtroom before both suspects were taken back to the police station in handcuffs. The police had sought a seven-day physical remand of the suspects.

Hina's lawyer, former Lahore High Court judge and former attorney general Shah Khawar, told the court that all three suspects had committed a heinous crime. He said Hina had allegedly been brutally murdered by her husband in collusion with Zeeshan.

According to the details presented, Hina's hands had been tied behind her back, cloth had been stuffed into her mouth and a wire had been placed around her neck. Her body was found hanging from a shower in the bathroom.

The autopsy report, which was also presented, revealed that the bones in her neck had been completely fractured, along with multiple injuries to her body.

Police have also decided to subject the clothes Hina was wearing at the time of her death to forensic examination. Investigators are seeking technical evidence, including possible fingerprints on her clothing.

The wire placed around her neck, the cloth stuffed into her mouth and the rope used to tie her hands have also been secured as forensic evidence.

Lawyer Shah Khawar told The Express Tribune that he was fully satisfied with the police investigation, saying investigators were proceeding in the right direction and had obtained technical and forensic evidence professionally.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the victim's cousin and family spokesperson, Shehr Bano, said the family was satisfied with the police investigation but demanded a transparent and impartial probe.