Karak rape case: Inquiry panel recommends action against police officials

Suggests departmental inquiry against CPO investigation team.

PESHAWAR:

The inquiry committee investigating the murder of the Karak rape victim’s brother on court premises has recommended action against the police for their failure to investigate the case and accused officials of complicity in whose presence Jahanzaib* was gunned down, in a preliminary report submitted to the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Saturday, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune.

Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan had taken suo motu notice of Jahanzaib’s murder by three assailants on December 9 and summoned senior bureaucrats for an explanation. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police chief Akbar Khan Hoti constituted an 11-member committee chaired by Deputy Inspector General Idrees Khan to investigate the murder. They the committee recorded statements of over 70 persons, including police officials, according to the sources.

It is generally believed that Karak police facilitated the killers who made good their escape in the presence of armed officials. The report states that both Karak police, which conducted the initial investigation as well as CPO investigation team constituted to probe the case, failed to investigate Sakina’s* rape allegations, therefore departmental action is recommended against the officers.

It is regrettable that the Karak police has neither registered a case nor added relevant sections of the law against ASI Gharib* who reportedly instigated a protest in his favour to malign the judiciary. Similarly no notice was taken of sectarian slogans because at that very moment Jahanzaib was murdered.

One of the attackers allegedly handed over his pistol to a constable, according to the report. Gharib was allowed without taking precautionary measures during which the plan to kill Sakina’s* brother was executed successfully in the presence of a DSP and two SHOs.

A case should also be registered against a sub-inspector who allegedly took away the memory card of Jahanzaib’s mobile who was reportedly recording everything when Gharib arrived on the scene, the report concluded.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gul Afzal Afridi, when contacted, confirmed the revelations, saying that a report has been filed after thorough investigation. “The committee has found flaws in the rape investigation. If the case had proceeded on merit, the situation wouldn’t have turned so ugly,” he remarked. He said the rape case was registered 13 months ago, but no action was taken which led to Jahanzaib’s murder who was pursuing his sister’s case in court.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Mian Naseeb Jan, head of the investigation team, told The Express Tribune that the court has extended the custody of SI Sajid* and a civilian.

Sakina the rape victim, had approached the PHC, a day after she escaped from her abductors in Bannu, while she was being sold to potential buyers, on October 13. She alleged she had been kidnapped in 2010 and continuously gang-raped for 10 months. K-P chief minister had taken notice of the issue and constituted a three-member inquiry committee to assist the police investigation team.

However, the suspects, during the hearing, had denied all the charges levelled against them before the committee, insisting that they were being victimised for arresting Jahanzaib.

The inquiry committee had found flaws in the rape investigation and requested formation of a medical board and recommended DNA tests for the pregnant victim to determine the parentage of the foetus. Eight days later, Jahanzaib was murdered.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2011.