Shahzeb Khan murder: Shahrukh Jatoi fled abroad with a fake passport, SC told

Officers who helped him escape have been identified, says FIA.

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday informed the Supreme Court that Shahrukh Jatoi, the main accused in Shahzeb Khan’s murder case, used a “bogus passport” to flee to the United Arab Emirates last December.

It said the passport was issued to Swabi resident Muhammad Ali.

During Monday’s proceedings, the country’s top court was also informed that the officers who helped the main accused escape from the country had also been identified.

A three-member bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh was hearing the case regarding the killing of a DSP’s son in Karachi. Shahzeb, a 20-year-old resident of Karachi, was killed on December 24 in the Defence area over a petty argument with Siraj Talpur and Shahrukh.

On Monday, the chief justice asked the FIA why it hadn’t registered any cases against the accused.

FIA Legal Director Muhammad Azam Khan submitted the FIA report which states that Shahrukh, along with his brother Nawab Ali Jatoi and Muhammad Khurram, had fled abroad on December 27. The court was told that Shahrukh obtained a boarding card under the name of Syed Shahrukh and used Muhammad Ali’s passport number and the tickets were issued through the Fazal-i-Rabi Travelling Agency.



The FIA official said that though 139 passengers had taken the flight there was no record of five people who boarded the plane. He told the court that officers who helped Shahrukh escape to the UAE have been identified and cases have been registered against those who helped him in escaping the country.

The owner of the travelling agency told the FIA that the ticket was issued under an “emergency” and the entry was made in violation of the airport rules — this procedure is only adopted for a VIP protocol. The court was told that at the time of departure the camera did not even capture Shahrukh’s photograph for records.

Justice Azmat Saeed then asked the council if the FIA was able to identify the ticketing counter from where Shahrukh had obtained his board card. The FIA legal director responded that they have already identified the counter and cases against the officials of that counter have been registered.

DIG Shahid Hayat also revealed before the bench that eyewitnesses have given statements that they had themselves seen Shahrukh open fire on Shahzeb.

The chief justice said, “Was the culprit so powerful that he hoodwinked the officials at three checkpoints at the airport? In such activities the big shots are involved but the lower-end staff gets tangled.”

Before adjourning the hearing, the court directed the FIA to present a charge-sheet of the case at an early date with the list of all eyewitnesses.

The court also sought the recording of Shahrukh’s father’s interview which was aired on Express News in which he misled investigators about the whereabouts of his son.

The bench will resume the hearing on February 13.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2013.