Suspect in KU professor’s murder released for want of evidence
The case has now been made dormant until further evidence is presented
Prof Dr Waheedur Rehman. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Assailants who shot Karachi University professor Dr Syed Waheedur Rehman were never caught. They did not only flee the crime scene but apparently went beyond the reach of the investigators. Thus, the case has been set dormant as a blind murder.
Recently, the anti-terrorism court hearing the case released a suspect held in the murder case after the investigating officer failed to bring any incriminating evidence against him.
The suspect, identified as Samiuz Zaman, was arrested in mid-June for his alleged involvement in the murder. Dr Rehman, better known as Yasir Rizvi, was an assistant professor at the city’s largest public university. He was gunned down on April 29 this year when he left his home for the varsity where he taught aspiring journalists and media persons. He had only travelled a short distance when some five men on motorbikes intercepted his emerald green Suzuki Cultus and opened fire. He was shot multiple times mostly, in the upper torso.
The incident was met with much uproar, demanding strict action against the culprits. An extensive investigation was launched. The police examined the case from different angles. As the incident matched the manner of the killing of a distinguished religious scholar, Professor Dr Shakil Auj, the police suspected the same group was behind it. Some students of the varsity were also detained but none of them was formally arrested.
According to a source privy to the investigation of the case, Zaman was taken into custody because he had allegedly sent some ‘threatening’ texts to the professor before his death.
But nothing substantiated and, after being grilled for more than two months, the suspect was released at a time when the final investigation report was awaited in the court.
The officer investigating the case submitted a report to the trial court, stating that no credible evidence was found against the suspect, thus, he may be released from prison.
The report was examined by the prosecutor tasked with the case and, on his suggestion, the court ordered that the suspect be relieved of the charge.
There is nothing left in the case; no evidence, no suspect. Thus the file will now be kept dormant until the investigators make some other arrests and link them to the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2015.
Assailants who shot Karachi University professor Dr Syed Waheedur Rehman were never caught. They did not only flee the crime scene but apparently went beyond the reach of the investigators. Thus, the case has been set dormant as a blind murder.
Recently, the anti-terrorism court hearing the case released a suspect held in the murder case after the investigating officer failed to bring any incriminating evidence against him.
The suspect, identified as Samiuz Zaman, was arrested in mid-June for his alleged involvement in the murder. Dr Rehman, better known as Yasir Rizvi, was an assistant professor at the city’s largest public university. He was gunned down on April 29 this year when he left his home for the varsity where he taught aspiring journalists and media persons. He had only travelled a short distance when some five men on motorbikes intercepted his emerald green Suzuki Cultus and opened fire. He was shot multiple times mostly, in the upper torso.
The incident was met with much uproar, demanding strict action against the culprits. An extensive investigation was launched. The police examined the case from different angles. As the incident matched the manner of the killing of a distinguished religious scholar, Professor Dr Shakil Auj, the police suspected the same group was behind it. Some students of the varsity were also detained but none of them was formally arrested.
According to a source privy to the investigation of the case, Zaman was taken into custody because he had allegedly sent some ‘threatening’ texts to the professor before his death.
But nothing substantiated and, after being grilled for more than two months, the suspect was released at a time when the final investigation report was awaited in the court.
The officer investigating the case submitted a report to the trial court, stating that no credible evidence was found against the suspect, thus, he may be released from prison.
The report was examined by the prosecutor tasked with the case and, on his suggestion, the court ordered that the suspect be relieved of the charge.
There is nothing left in the case; no evidence, no suspect. Thus the file will now be kept dormant until the investigators make some other arrests and link them to the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2015.