Sapna Khan’s disappearance: No substantial evidence of Khosa’s involvement, says Civil Lines DSP

DSP defends police for not arresting the former chief minister.

LAHORE:

The court was hearing a petition seeking Dost Muhammad’s Khosa arrest was told by Civil Lines DSP on Tuesday that the former chief minister had not been arrested for lack of “substantial evidence”.

The petitioner’s lawyer, however, described the investigation as “no more than a drama” and “a waste of time”.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Hussain Sial on Tuesday heard three petitions related to Sapna Khan’s disappearance, all filed by Missal Khan – the man who claims to be Sapna Khan’s father. The judge sought the capital city police officer’s (CCPO) comments in a petition seeking transfer of investigation from the DSP to a senior officer of the Investigation Wing. In the second petition, the judge directed the Civil Lines DSP to tell the court why Khosa, accused of being involved in the abduction and murder of Sapna Khan, had not been arrested. Both respondents were told to file their replies on April 26.

A third petition that sought court’s directions to the police to make certain documents part of the case record was disposed of. Azhar Siddique, the petitioner’s counsel, said that the police had not made statements of Sapna’s family members (her father, two brothers and sister) and passport and identity card details part of the record. The petition was disposed of after Civil Lines DSP Safdar Raza Kazmi told the court that the documents had been added to the record.

Advocate Siddique said that DSP Kazmi was wasting the court’s time. “Has he even gotten the record of phone calls made from Sapna Khan’s mobile phone,” asked Siddique.  He objected to Kazmi conducting the investigation despite Lahore High Court orders that a senior Investigation Wing officer be assigned. “Can the DSP inform the court who made him officer incharge of the investigation,” Siddique asked. The DSP replied that a board, headed by the Investigations DIG, had nominated him as the investigating officer. He then showed the court a notification to the effect.

The petitioner’s counsel also challenged the DSP’s statement that there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Khosa. “It is a murder case,” said the advocate, adding that the DSP should look at the lack of Khosa’s credibility. Khosa, he noted, had first claimed that he was not married to Sapna and later claimed that though he had married her, they were divorced. Siddique said that Khosa had also threatened her family for agitating her disappearance. “The DSP needs to keep all these things in mind,” he said.

Missal Khan has accused former chief minister Dost Muhammad Khosa, Sajjad Ahmed, Daood Butt, Naeem, Amjad, Rana Tanveer, Javed, Yaseen and Shahid of abducting and killing Sapna Khan. He says that on June 22, 2011 she had gone to see Khosa at his GOR-I residence after telling him that Khosa wanted to see her. He claims that Sapna Khan was dropped off at Khosa’s house and was never heard from again.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2012.