Shahzeb Khan murder case: Investigating officer concludes statement in court

Defence counsel requests court to adjourn hearing for preparation of cross-examination.

KARACHI: The policeman investigating Shahzeb’s Khan murder case recorded his complete statement before an Anti-Terrorism Court III (ATC) on Tuesday.

The investigating officer (IO), Muhammad Mubeen, appeared before the court for recording his unfinished statement before the judge, Ghulam Mustafa Memon, of the ATC-III. The officer had recorded his incomplete statement on Monday and requested the court to adjourn the hearing till Tuesday.

IO Mubeen told the court that the investigation of the case was transferred to him from the first investigating officer on January 5, 2013, after the apex court took a suo motu notice of the case.

Mubeen stated that he had arrested three suspects - Siraj Talpur, Sajjad Talpur and Ghulam Mustafa Lashari - from Dadu and brought them to Karachi after verifying statements of all the witnesses. The suspects were also presented before a judicial magistrate for the identification parade, said Mubeen, where witnesses identified them and recorded their statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

On January 15, Siraj and others pointed out the location where the alleged shooting took place, Mubeen told the court. On January 17, he arrested the prime suspect, Shahrukh Jatoi, from Karachi Airport on January 17. Following the arrest, Shahrukh was presented before the court for identification parade during which he was identified by a couple of eyewitnesses.

Subsequently, Shahrukh pointed out the place of incident on January 20 and the weapon used in the crime, concealed beneath the trunk of a car, was seized from Defence Phase 8 on January 23, stated Mubeen, adding that the weapon and car were seized by the police.



The weapon along with the spent bullet casing and live bullets were sent to the Forensic Science Lab for matching it with the pistol found on January 28.

The in-charge deputy district public prosecutor (DDPP) for the state, Abdul Maroof, told The Express Tribune that the lab report confirmed that the weapon sent for matching was the same which was used in the shooting.

On January 24, the police visited Do Darya, the belt along the coast where suspect Siraj Talpur had allegedly thrown his pistol - the second weapon used in the crime. Despite several attempts, however, Mubeen said that the weapon couldn’t be found.

After the investigations, the charge sheet was submitted in the court on February 18, 2013, Mubeen concluded.

Earlier, Maroof had said that Mubeen was the last prosecution witness in the case, adding that after his deposition, the prosecution’s side would be closed.

Following the statement, the defence counsels requested the court to adjourn the hearing so that they may prepare themselves to cross-examine the witness. The request was allowed and hearing was put off till today [Wednesday].

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2013.