KARACHI, Nov 25: Four police officials, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were booked on Tuesday for killing Kishan Chand, a 30-year-old trader, in their custody.
The victim, who was booked in a murder case of his maternal uncle, Amit Kumar, on Oct 11 by Sharea Faisal police, was surrendered before the police by his brother, Pheromal, on Nov 4. The following day, the man died in police custody.
The grieving family alleged that Kishn Chandar was tortured to death by the Sharea Faisal police, who in turn claimed that the young suspect died of cardiac arrest. Krishn’s brother, Pheromal, told Dawn that his brother was actually kidnapped by the killers of Ameet Kumar.
According to him, the kidnappers threw his brother at a desolate place near New Sabzi Mandi off the Super Highway on Nov 3. He said that he had himself taken his brother to the police as he had been booked in the murder case.
The Sharea Faisal police registered a murder case (FIR 915/2008) against DSP Hafeez Junejo, Inspector Hadi Bux, Sub-inspector Malik Ashraf and ASI Javed Chaudhry.
Earlier, the Sindh High Court ordered registration of a custodial death case against DSP Hafeez Junejo, investigation officer Hadi Bux, sub-inspector Malik Ashraf and ASIs Aftab and Javed Chaudhry of the Sharea Faisal police station.
A complaint was addressed by Bhero Mal to the chief justice alleging that he voluntarily surrendered his brother, Kishan Chand, to DSP Junejo, who said he (Kishan) was required in the theft case. Kishan died in police custody on Nov 5 but the police were not registering an FIR. The complaint was converted into a petition and assigned to Justice Munib Ahmed Khan.
Two Sharea Faisal police officials appeared in response to a court notice and submitted that an FIR would be registered as alleged. The judge also ordered that the case should be investigated under the supervision of a senior police officer.
Dr Aafia’s repatriation
The Sindh High Court issued notices in a petition seeking repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from the United States.
Advocate Mohammad Iqbal Aqeel submitted on behalf of petitioner Intikhab Alam Suri of the Human Rights Network, a non-governmental organization, that Dr Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani citizen who had been forcibly and surreptitiously taken to the United States without any extradition proceedings. She had been maltreated and tortured so badly that according to an American judge, she was not able to stand trial in her present mental condition. She should, therefore, be brought back home for treatment. She was more likely to recover among her near and dear ones. The US government should be asked to repatriate her and then seek her extradition if she had committed an offence.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Ghulam Dastgir A. Shahani ordered that notices be issued to the interior and foreign ministries for Dec 5.
Unnar’s plea allowed
A division bench consisting of Justices Khilji Arif Hussain and Dr Qamaruddin Bohra, meanwhile, directed the home department to shift former revenue minister Altaf Hussain Unnar from the Hyderabad jail to the Kidney Centre, Karachi, and report compliance within three days.
Advocate Wasique Ahmed Kehar informed the bench that Mr Unnar was not being provided specialised treatment for his kidney ailment at the Kidney Centre, Karachi, despite a court order to the effect. He had been granted bail by the high court in a terrorism case alleging that he attempted to kill MNA Dr Azra Pechoho by firing at her vehicle at a polling station during a by-election at Jamshoro in February 2007. He had been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance to frustrate the bail order, the lawyer said.
Meanwhile, Mr Unnar’s condition, the lawyer submitted, was worsening as his ailment had entered the fourth dangerous stage. He was only one step away from the ‘fatal’ fifth stage. Directing the home department to comply with the court order, the bench asked Advocate-General Mohammad Yusuf Leghari to ensure compliance.
Convict’s return
Qadir Bux Jatoi, who has been in forced exile since 1981 was, meanwhile, allowed by the bench to return home without being arrested to pursue his remedy against his conviction by a military court in 1979.
Advocate Zamir Ghumro submitted that Jatoi was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment along with Ali Haider Shah for killing a Rangers sepoy in an encounter during protests over Dr Shireen Soomro’s custodial death. He challenged his conviction and was still lodged in prison when he was flown to Syria following a PIA plane hijacking to Kabul in 1981. He had since lived in exile and was at present staying in Sweden. The lawyer said the military courts had since been declared unlawful by the Supreme Court and the Peshawar High Court set aside a criminal trial only on the ground that it was conducted by a military court. He requested the court to set aside or suspend the conviction and allow him to return without being taken into custody.
Allowing the petition, the bench ordered that the exile would not be arrested on his return and would be allowed to seek appropriate remedy from a competent court as a free man.
Tessori’s complaint
The bench consisting of the CJ and Justice Shahani asked the Karachi Central Prison superintendent to allow all facilities due under the jail manual to under-trial prisoner Kamran Khan Tessori, who is being tried in six cases involving illicit arms, drugs and land allotment.
Tessori’s mother, Mst Kausar Jabeen, submitted that the jail authorities were denying him due facilities in violation of a court order and their own undertaking. His relatives were not being allowed to see him or send him home-cooked food.
The jail superintendent denied the allegation and said he had not been approached by any relative of the UTP. Tessori would be extended the facilities under the jail manual, he assured the court again.
The petitioner’s counsel, Khwaja Naveed Ahmed, informed the bench that one of Tessori’s uncles wanted to meet him at 2 pm on Tuesday. The jail superintendent said he would be allowed to see Tessori. Bringing the superintendent’s assurance on record, the bench disposed of the contempt plea.
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.