Custodial death: Court orders IO to appear on Oct 30
SHC orders a complete set of police papers and postmortem report of a MQM activist, Ajmal Baig
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the police investigation officer to appear on October 30 with a complete set of police papers and postmortem report of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist, Ajmal Baig, who was allegedly tortured to death while in custody.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who headed the bench, gave the direction on a petition filed by the victim’s brother, Afzal Baig, who had taken the police and Rangers to the court for allegedly torturing Ajmal to death.
In the petition, filed in June, he alleged that the paramilitary troops had taken his brother away while he was offering his Maghrib prayers at the Hanifa Masjid, City Station Railway Colony on May 18.
The detainee was handed over to the Mochkoh police in an injured condition, who then produced him in the court of a judicial magistrate on May 21 but failed to provide him with medical assistance due to which he died, Afzal claimed.
The petitioner pleaded to the court to direct police officials to register a case against the police and Rangers responsible for his brother’s death.
The court was also requested to order the provincial government to pay Rs2.5 million as compensation to the victim’s family in addition to Rs25,000 per month each to his widow and daughters.
During Friday’s hearing, SHO Mochko police told the judges that the petitioner’s brother had died in Karachi Central Jail and the body was handed over to the legal heirs after the postmortem.
The two-judge bench directed the investigation officer to appear with a complete set of police papers, including the postmortem report, as the petitioner wants a judicial inquiry into the murder. The officer has to produce the record by October 30.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2014.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the police investigation officer to appear on October 30 with a complete set of police papers and postmortem report of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist, Ajmal Baig, who was allegedly tortured to death while in custody.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who headed the bench, gave the direction on a petition filed by the victim’s brother, Afzal Baig, who had taken the police and Rangers to the court for allegedly torturing Ajmal to death.
In the petition, filed in June, he alleged that the paramilitary troops had taken his brother away while he was offering his Maghrib prayers at the Hanifa Masjid, City Station Railway Colony on May 18.
The detainee was handed over to the Mochkoh police in an injured condition, who then produced him in the court of a judicial magistrate on May 21 but failed to provide him with medical assistance due to which he died, Afzal claimed.
The petitioner pleaded to the court to direct police officials to register a case against the police and Rangers responsible for his brother’s death.
The court was also requested to order the provincial government to pay Rs2.5 million as compensation to the victim’s family in addition to Rs25,000 per month each to his widow and daughters.
During Friday’s hearing, SHO Mochko police told the judges that the petitioner’s brother had died in Karachi Central Jail and the body was handed over to the legal heirs after the postmortem.
The two-judge bench directed the investigation officer to appear with a complete set of police papers, including the postmortem report, as the petitioner wants a judicial inquiry into the murder. The officer has to produce the record by October 30.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2014.