The Sindh government has written to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and the Sindh Rangers to nominate members to a joint investigation team (JIT), recommended by a judicial panel, to investigate Mir Raza Ali’s murder, it emerged on Friday.
The 25-year-old businessman had gone missing on July 28 after leaving his home in PECHS, and his body, bearing a gunshot wound, was found in the bushes in Gulistan-i-Jauhar a day later.
In its 62-page report, submitted to the government on October 15, a commission had recommended forming a JIT, calling it a “most viable path” to mitigate ongoing reputational damage to the Sindh government.
Sindh High Court judge Justice Omar Sial, who headed the single-member commission, recommended integrating senior representatives from the ISI, IB, Sindh Rangers, and the NCCIA in the JIT to “ensure an impartial, comprehensive, and credible resolution”.
The commission had also recommended West Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Irfan Baloch to lead the team.
Acting on the commission’s directives, the Sindh Home Minister, on Thursday, announced that the JIT would be formed under the DIG Baloch, and the summary had been sent to the chief minister.
The letters, dated October 23, were sent through the Sindh Home Department and seen by Dawn. They requested the ISI, IB, NCCIA and Sindh Rangers to nominate a senior officer, not below the rank of BS-18, to serve on the JIT headed by DIG Baloch to investigate Mir Raza’s murder.
The letters requested the aforementioned authorities to nominate their representatives within seven days so that the JIT could commence its work.
In its letter to the NCCIA, the Home Department specifically requested a senior official with “expertise in digital forensics, as the investigation involves the analysis of mobile phones, Apple Watch, iCloud, social media and cryptocurrency (Binance) records”.
Letter to IGP for action against officers
The provincial government, through its Home Department, also wrote to the Sindh inspector general of police (IGP), asking him to take action against police officials found guilty of negligence by the judicial commission.
“This case demonstrates an epic failure by the police in their investigation,” declared the 62-page report submitted by Justice Sial.
“The police breached all required procedures, both knowingly and unknowingly, necessary to withstand judicial scrutiny and a successful prosecution,” the report stated.
It said the police investigation “failed in its most basic duty: to establish the truth”.
According to the commission, an active cover-up in the initial stages of the investigation cannot be conclusively ruled out. It noted that senior police officers swept clear investigative lapses under the carpet, without acknowledging them, addressing them, or even attempting to do so.
“Dozens of police officers – authorised and unauthorised – were involved in collecting evidence in this case, approaching and interrogating crucial persons, and in most cases not documenting it in any manner,” it said, adding that, therefore, no officer was willing to take responsibility for the lapses.
Listing its observations for certain police officials involved in the case, the judicial panel identified “criminal negligence” on the part of Station House Officer (SHO) Adeel Afzal of Ferozabad police station.
It also found criminal negligence by Sub-inspector Shabbir Leghari, the first investigating officer (IO) in the case, and called for disciplinary proceedings against him and his suspension.
Dr Osama Sheikh suspended
In its report, the judicial panel had called out “extreme immaturity” and “childish behaviour” of Medico-Legal Officer (MLO) Dr Osama Sheikh, who conducted the first medico-legal examination, whose findings were later proven incorrect after a second autopsy.
“Overconfidence. Unprofessional conduct not befitting a medical professional. Must not be assigned medico-legal duties unless he has undergone at least two years of rigorous academic and practical training,” the commission observed.
In a letter to the Sindh health secretary, the provincial government conveyed the decision of its sub-committee, constituted to implement the recommendations of the judicial commission, in light of the commission’s observations.
Under the decision, Dr Osama would be suspended and proceeded against under the E&D (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules. He would also be sent for training, as recommended by the commission.
Request to interior ministry
The single-member judicial commission had stated that it did not have investigative powers and that it was difficult to conclusively determine whether an active cover-up had occurred. The commission noted that “certain inexplicable actions are difficult to justify and raise the possibility that one may have occurred”.
Therefore, it recommended that a high-level committee, preferably headed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), be constituted to initiate criminal proceedings against any police officials found culpable.
Acting on the commission’s recommendations, the Sindh government also wrote to the Ministry of Interior.
In its letter, the provincial government requested the FIA to nominate a senior officer, not below the rank of BS-20 and with expertise in investigations, to head the committee. DIG Baloch and Special Branch DIG Naeem Ahmed Sheikh would serve as its members.
Examination of police officers
A one-member committee comprising Additional IGP Counterterrorism Department (CTD) Sindh Zulfiqar Ali Larik had also been notified to examine each of the officers named in the commission’s report. DIG Baloch would assist the committee.
According to a notification, the committee had the following terms of reference (TORs):
- To examine each of the officers/officials named in the report of the commission of inquiry and assess their leadership qualities and efficiency in light of the specific observations recorded against them by the Commission;
- To evaluate their overall policing performance;
- To further probe the role of Inspector Ghaus with regard to the burning of the crime scene; and
- To submit its report, with findings and recommendations in respect of each officer/official, to the Sindh IGP.