KARACHI, April 27: A sessions court on Saturday directed police to register a criminal case against some Rangers officials, including two colonels, if a cognizable offence was made out about the alleged murder of the brother of a woman applicant.

District and Sessions Judge (South) Shahid Shafiq passed this order on an application moved by the applicant, Zarina, under Section 22-A of the criminal procedure code.

The court directed the SHO of the Kalri police station to record the statement of the applicant under Section 154 of the CrPC and lodge an FIR against Rangers men if her information constituted any cognizable offence.

However, the court barred the police from arresting the suspects until they collect solid evidence against them.

The applicant submitted that Rangers picked up his brother Fahim aka Badshah during a targeted operation on April 19 in his house in Lyari.

She alleged that a senior Rangers official contacted her and demanded a bribe for the release of her brother.

She added that another Rangers official made a phone call on April 21 and told her about the death of her brother and her family received the body on the following day.

The applicant claimed that there were a number of people who witnessed the arrest of her brother and willing to testify.

She named two senior Rangers officers — Colonel Amir and Colonel Hassan — Deputy Superintendent of Rangers Jahangir and others as accused and sought registration of a case against them.

FIR against police officials

Another sessions court, meanwhile, asked the SHO of the Mominabad police station to book some officials of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station for allegedly picking up a citizen and confining him to get bribe.

Disposing of an application moved under Section 22-A of the criminal procedure code, district and sessions judge (west) Shahnawaz Tariq asked the Mominabad SHO to register a case against the officials of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station if a cognisable offence was made out.

Applicant Bushra submitted that her husband, Mohammad Sajid, was picked up by SHO Irfan, sub-inspector Abdul Rehman Mirani, head constable Asad and another official of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station from their house on the night of April 20 in a Mominabad locality.

She claimed that the police demanded Rs100,000 for the release of the detainee. She moved a habeas corpus application and subsequently a magistrate raided the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station on April 22, she added.

However, just before the raid, the police shifted her husband from the police station, the applicant said.

The following day, she added, her husband was produced by the Model Colony police in a court in an illicit weapon case.

On the direction of a court, the medical examination of the detainee was conducted and the report confirmed that he was subjected to torture, she said.

The applicant stated that the Mominabad SHO refused to register a case on her complaint against the police officials.

The court later summoned the Mominabad SHO and an official appeared before the judge claiming that the woman had not approached them to lodge a case.

After hearing both sides, the court directed that the SHO to record the statement of the applicant under Section 154 of the criminal procedure code and register a case against the proposed suspects accordingly if cognisable offence was made out and a submit a compliance repo

Shahzeb murder case

The prosecution on Saturday rested its side in the Shahzeb murder case after examining 23 witnesses.

The defence lawyers resumed the remaining cross-examination of investigating officer Mohammad Mobin on Saturday.

After the completion of the IO’s questioning, special public prosecutor Abdul Maroof informed the court that the prosecution decided to close its side after examining important witnesses. The prosecution examined 23 witnesses and abandoned the remaining out of 53witnesses.

Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon of the ATC-III, who is conducting the trial on a day-to-day basis on an apex court order, adjourned the hearing till Monday for statements of the accused.

Shahrukh Jatoi, Nawab Siraj Ali Talpur, his younger brother Nawab Sajjad Ali Talpur and their house servant Ghulam Murtaza Lashari have been charged with killing 20-year-old Shahzeb in Defence Housing Authority on the night of Dec 24, 2012.

SHO killing case

The same court remanded on Saturday a policeman in prison in the murder case of the Preedy SHO till May 3 and directed the IO to submit an investigation report under Section 173 of the criminal procedure code.

The police produced Constable Nazakat Ali before the court following the end of his police remand. SHO Agha Asadullah was travelling in his private car near Saddar on April 9, when his guard, who was sitting on the back seat, allegedly shot him dead.