Agency will seek custody of accused to determine who helped him escape.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/ THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s passport cell on Tuesday registered an FIR against main accused in the Shahzeb Khan murder case Shahrukh Jatoi as well as others allegedly involved in his escape to Dubai.
The inquiry has also been transferred to a senior officer of the FIA, Faqir Mohammad.
Mohammad while talking to The Express Tribune confirmed the registration of a case at the passport cell, also known as the anti-human trafficking cell.
“Right now, we do not have any idea about the facilitators,” Mohammad said, adding that once their identities are ascertained, their names would be included in the FIR.
However, the FIA is also seeking custody of Shahrukh with the inquiry officer insisting that it is essential in conducting fair investigations into the case.
“We will first ask for an NOC from the anti-terrorism court and then ask for custody from the session court concerned.
“But we will interrogate Shahrukh Jatoi at any cost,” the officer added.
An inspector, Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal, and a police constable, Bilal, who were on duty on December 27 at Jinnah International Airport when Shahrukh Jatoi fled to Dubai, were earlier suspended for negligence.
Mohammad explained that it has yet to be ascertained whether the suspended officers were aware of Shahrukh’s escape. The inquiry team also planned to interrogate other airport officials, travel agents and the FIA’s immigration staff, he added.
Meanwhile, claims that the weapons used in Shahzeb’s murder had been recovered by the police came under doubt after DIG Hayat revealed to The Express Tribune that the weapon used by Siraj Talpur, a prime suspect in the case, has yet to be recovered.
“He had discarded his gun in the sea after the murder. We are trying to recover that,” said Hayat.
Meanwhile, investigation officer Mohammad Mubeen, who had earlier claimed during an Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) hearing that the murder weapons had been recovered, retracted his statements saying two pistols were used in the shooting.
“The police would not rest till both the weapons had been recovered,” Mubeen added.
Moreover, the same officer also attempted to persuade witnesses in indentifying the ‘wrong’ car from the one actually used during the shooting by Shahrukh.
“We had said from day one that Shahrukh was in a silver Toyota Corolla not a Mark II. Why should we identify the wrong car?” said the eyewitness, adding that the police was clearly attempting to tamper with the evidence in the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2013.
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