Shahzeb Khan case: SHC directs police not to harass Shahrukh Jatoi’s brother

Petitioner alleges that his property was sealed off during the hunt for the prime suspect.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the Sindh polcie inspector general and Darakhshan police station SHO to ensure that no “coercive” action is taken against Shahzad Jatoi, brother of the main suspect in the Shahzeb Khan murder.

Earlier, the Jatoi family had gone to the court against harassment and sealing off their properties by the police. The judges, however, threw out the case as Imtiaz Javed, caretaker of their properties, preferred to take back the petition. On Tuesday, Shahzad took the Sindh home secretary, the police chief and the Darakhshan police station SHO to the court for harassing and sealing off his properties in hunt for arrest of his brother, Shahrukh Jatoi, who is still at large.

The petitioner submitted that after the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of Shahzeb’s murder and ordered arrest of those involved, the police started raiding his houses and not only sealed his properties, but also of his relatives.



Shahzad’s bungalow in Defence was also raided and sealed off by police to seek custody of Shahrukh Jatoi and get his confession, alleged GN Qureshi, the lawyer representing the petitioner. “Police are misinterpreting the apex court’s orders which clearly stated that action should be taken [against accused] in accordance with law.”

The petitioner maintained that the Darakhshan officials were constantly harassing Shahzad, who is a businessman and has nothing to do with the offence alleged to have been committed by his brother. The lawyer asked the court to order the police officials to act “strictly” in accordance with the law and not to harass his client. After the preliminary hearing, Justice Syed Muhammad Farooq Shah issued notice to the Sindh advocate general, provincial home secretary, police chief and Darakhshan SHO to file their replies by Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2013.