Transfer of murder case: Explanation sought from Punjab police chief

The petitioner, a murder-accused, claims the case is being used for political reasons.

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the inspector general of the Punjab police in a petition filed against the transfer of investigation of a murder case.

The case, that was taken from Rawalpindi police and handed over to the Gujrat district police officer (DPO), involves the brother of a former National Assembly deputy speaker.

LHC Rawalpindi bench Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi took up a petition filed by Imran Khokhar, an accused in the murder case, and directed the Punjab IG to submit his reply within two weeks.

The petitioner, who is said to be a close aide of Imtiaz Khokhar alias Taji, the brother of former NA deputy speaker Nawaz Khokhar and uncle of the PM’s adviser on human rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, has filed his plea through Advocate Malik Waheed Anjum. Imtiaz maintained that the transfer of the investigation from Rawalpindi to the Gujrat police was against regulations.

The petitioner, who is presently on a pre-arrest interim bail, maintained that the Punjab chief minister and opposition leader in the NA had been trying to victimise the accused for political reasons.

The petitioner claimed the Punjab police first moved the investigation from the Airport police in Rawalpindi to Special Branch in Lahore and later to the Gujrat DPO without following regulations.

Under Article 18 of the Police Order 2002, the investigation of a case can only be changed on the recommendations of a board headed by a senior superintendent of police (SSP) at district level.

In the case, murder charges were framed against Taji Khokhar, his two sons and other accused, and on the directives of the CM, the IG changed the investigation officers without observing the relevant rules, Imtiaz said.

He has prayed to the LHC to declare the change of investigation officer as unlawful and direct a sub inspector of the Airport Police to complete the investigation which started on August 17.

It may be recalled that a Civil Lines deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and the Airport police station house officer (SHO) were suspended for failing to provide security to Sabira Bibi, the murder victim, after she sought protection following alleged life threats from Taji Khokhar over a property dispute.

On August 17, when a local commission deputed by a civil judge went to the disputed piece of land to determine the actual situation alongside Bibi and her lawyer, the accused men allegedly started indiscriminate firing leading to the woman’s death.

Later, the victim’s family and the legal fraternity of Rawalpindi expressed dissatisfaction over the opaque manner in which the Airport police was conducting the investigation and sought intervention in the case by senior police officers.

So far, four men had been arrested in the case, one of whom, the petitioner, is out on bail, while the police have declared Taji Khokhar and his two sons as absconders.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2012.