Timeline: Shahzeb Khan murder case

Shahzeb Khan was gunned down on December 25, 2012 and justice was served on June 07, 2013.

December

Dec 25             Shahzeb Khan gunned down

Dec 27             Shahrukh Jatoi escapes to Dubai

 

January

Jan 5                IG police says ‘red warrant’ issued for Shahrukh’s arrest

Jan 7                Siraj Talpur, Sajjad Talpur, Murtaza Lashari, remanded to police custody

Jan 8                Police officer leaves for Dubai to arrest Shahrukh, Dubai police deny having traced him yet

Jan 8                SHC restrains police from confiscating the property of suspect’s brother, Shahzad Ali Jatoi

Jan 10              Eyewitnesses identify suspects

Jan 12              Sikandar Jatoi, the father of Shahrukh Jatoi, remanded to police custody till Jan16

Jan 18              Shahrukh Jatoi sent to lock-up. Ossification test ordered

Jan 19              Witnesses identify Shahrukh

Jan 22              Shahrukh undergoes ossification test

Jan 26              ATC considers Shahrukh to be underage and sends him to juvenile jail on judicial remand till Jan 29

Jan 30              Shahrukh sent to Central jail. Fresh ossification test ordered

 

Feburary

Feb 7               ATC directs Aitchison College to provide documents to verify Shahrukh’s age

Feb 9               SHC restrains FIA from arresting an airport agent of Emirates Airlines

Feb 14             FIA files interim charge sheet against Shahrukh for using fraudulent means to escape the country

Feb 19             Police file charge sheet before ATC

Feb 20             Judicial magistrate issues show-cause notice to FIA investigator for not submitting a final charge-sheet

Feb 23             ATC accepts the charge-sheet

Feb 26             Defence challenges the trial under anti-terrorism law

 

March

Mar 2               Prosecutor Shahid Mehmood Arain replaces prosecutor Abdul Maroof

Mar 6               ATC dismisses defence plea to transfer trial to a regular court

Mar 7               Plea for trial to be held under juvenile law dismissed

Mar 9               Witness testifies in the case

Mar 13             Sister testifies in the case

Mar 17             Lawyer for the complainant objects to Advocate Muzaffar Solangi replacing prosecutor Shahid Mehmood Arain

Mar 19             SHC orders replacing controversial prosecutor

Mar 20             Law department appoints new prosecutor, Advocate Muntazir Mehdi, on SHC directives

Mar 20             FIA investigator files final charge sheet

Mar 21             SHC adjourns plea seeking removal of IO Muhammad Mubeen. Statements of two witnesses recorded

Mar 22             Contempt notice issued to IO Muhammad Mubeen for not producing witnesses

Mar 26             Twist in the case as friend, neighbour change statements

 

April

Apr 02             Suspect Shahrukh challenges trial under anti-terrorism law

Apr 02             Three suspects allowed better facilities in jail

Apr 03             Eyewitness implicates all suspects in murder

Apr 09             Prosecution gives up seven more witnesses

Apr 10             Two witnesses testify

Apr 11             Prosecutor excludes five more witnesses

Apr 13             Hearing not held due to transfer of third prosecutor

Apr 15             Law department reappoints prosecutor

Apr 17             Defence plea to examine forensic expert dismissed. Former IO records statement

Apr 20             ATC annoyed with key witnesses for adjournment. Dismisses plea to declare two witnesses as ‘hostile’

Apr 22/23        IO Muhammad Mobeen records statement

Apr 24             IO concludes statement in court

Apr 25             Shahrukh’s plea for transfer of case dismissed

Apr 25             Hearing adjourned due to strike

Apr 26             Strike delays hearing for the third time

Apr 30             Suspects blame IO for making up a case against them

 

May

May 02            Nawab Imdad Ali Talpur, suspects’ father, records statement, claims his sons were at home when the killing took place

May 03            State counsel grills two defence witnesses at ATC

May 06            Courts shut down due to strike in the city

May 07            Defence counsel gives up eight witnesses and closes its side

May 09            Defence accuses complainants of concocting the whole case

May 15            ATC hears final arguments of Shaukat Zubaidi, counsel for Shahrukh

May 16            Defence counsel says empties and forensic science lab report are doubtful

May17             Defence counsel presents final arguments, says police have falsely implicated Siraj Talpur

May 20            ATC given four days to re-examine Shahrukh’s birth records

May 20            Hearing adjourned as judge takes leave

May 21            Counsels for Talpur brothers conclude final arguments, say there are contradictions in witnesses’ statements

May 22            Ghulam Murtaza Lashari’s lawyer says his client never teased Shahzeb’s sister

May 28            Hearing adjourned because of strike

May 30            Lawyers conclude rebuttal arguments

May 31            Defence seeks time, court adjourns case for a day

 

June

Jun 03              ATC reserves verdict

June 05            Lower court observes Shahrukh has not come to court for FIA case hearings, orders him to come on June 19

June 06            SHC turns down plea to bar ATC from announcing verdict