KARACHI, Oct 30: Although police had claimed arrest of a hit man allegedly involved in more than 230 cases after a shootout in Defence Housing Authority last week, none of the top investigators or the specialised units of police is willing to investigate and establish charges against him, it emerged on Sunday.

Well-placed sources in the police department said that the suspect had been interrogated by different intelligence and law-enforcement agencies and finally handed over to the Clifton police station after almost every specialised unit of the police showed reluctance to investigate charges and prepare a charge-sheet against him.

“Digging out evidence against him and establishing his indirect involvement in so many cases is a highly challenging task given the state of investigation and prosecution,” remarked an officer.

On Oct 23, the Clifton police had claimed to have arrested Zakir Husain, alias Agha Murtaza Husain, son of Shah Mohammad, after an alleged shootout with him and his accomplice on Khayaban-i-Shaheen.

The police said that the suspected hit man was also involved in the killing of DSP Nawaz Ranjha, DSP Naeem Khan Bangash and Inspector Nasirul Hasan.

An FIR (268/2011) under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) with 34 (common intention) and another FIR (269/2011) under Sections 13-D and 13-E of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance was registered at the Clifton police station.

Background interviews with senior law-enforcement officials showed that the suspect was picked up by officials of an intelligence agency following the interception of an email. Subsequent to his detention and questioning, the suspect was handed over to the Rangers, enjoying policing powers in the city, the officials said.

After grilling the suspect and carrying out their standard operations procedure, the Rangers handed him over to the Clifton police, the officials added.

Rangers have claimed at several press conferences that after picking up suspects, they hand them over to local police for further legal formalities.

Sources said that a police investigator had reluctantly agreed to question the suspect and prepare a charge-sheet against him, with the condition that he would not take the suspect’s custody in a back date.

A joint interrogation team (JIT) comprising representatives of the intelligence agencies, Rangers and police questioned the suspect on Oct 26.

“Without hesitation, he is sharing information he is being asked about,” said a team member.

Speaking to Dawn, law-enforcement officials said so far it seemed that the suspect had either ordered or passed on instructions to different hit men for carrying out killings.

They added that his name had been mentioned several times during the course of investigation by suspected assassins who according to the joint interrogation teams had been taking instructions from him.