KARACHI(National Times)- A judicial commission investigating the circumstances and possible negligence in the Mir Raza Ali murder case has observed that the motives of Medico-Legal Officer (MLO) Dr Osama Sheikh, who conducted the first autopsy, \u201cappear tainted\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The body of the 25-year-old businessman was found in Karachi\u2019s Gulistan-i-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he went missing. After his family accused the police of trying to bury the facts, a judicial commission has been holding regular hearings to probe the circumstances and possible negligence in the murder case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During Tuesday\u2019s hearing, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed accused MLO Sheikh of instigating a \u201cmalicious campaign\u201d against her after she had disputed the findings of Ali\u2019s first post-mortem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a written order for the hearing issued on Wednesday, Dr Syed had submitted a \u201cletter coupled with a number of documents as evidence of the malicious campaign launched against her on the instigation\u201d of Dr Sheikh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The one-member commission, headed by Sindh High Court\u2019s (SHC) Justice Omar Sial, noted that Dr Sheikh\u2019s \u201cmotives and intentions appear tainted\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHis conduct has attempted to damage the honour of this commission and to detract from and scandalise its real purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Justice Sial wrote that he was saddened to see the police surgeon request the commission \u201cin a very graceful, polite and professional manner\u201d to take notice of the \u201chighly defamatory and dangerous social media campaign against her\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Syed informed the commission that she was under \u201cimmense mental anguish and that the material being circulated against her had set a very dangerous precedent that no senior henceforth should attempt to help rectify mistakes done by the junior for fear of prosecution\u201d, the order stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commission noted that Dr Syed was a distinguished and seasoned professional with an impressive academic and work background, and her being subjected to such harassment was \u201cunacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe is an asset to the government. Rather than appreciate her services, she is being defamed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Syed had also told the commission at a previous hearing that she faced \u201cthreats\u201d after disputing the findings of the first postmortem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its order, the commission requested the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency\u2019s (NCCIA) Karachi director to investigate the issue of a message exchange between the police surgeon and Dr Sheikh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also urged the NCCIA to identify whether the defamatory messages circulating on the internet were \u201cforensically satisfactory\u201d, and determine who was responsible for the leakage of these messages on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It directed the NCCIA Karachi director to submit a comprehensive report to the commission before the end of its tenure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During his previous appearance before the commission on Sept 1, the MLO had told the judicial commission that he was not under any influence or pressure while conducting the postmortem and had nowhere stated in his report that Ali had died by suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For its part, the commission had expressed dissatisfaction with Dr Sheikh\u2019s answers, questioned the discrepancies between his initial and final reports and asked whether he or a sweeper had conducted the autopsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had maintained that he had conducted the procedure and that the final report was issued after the exhumation and second autopsy, following 14 objections by the police surgeon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a hearing on Monday, the commission also declined the MLO\u2019s request to record a further statement, observing that he \u201cappeared on social media\u201d and said that he had \u201cmore to tell the commission than what he told it earlier\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tuesday\u2019s hearing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its Tuesday hearing, the commission recorded the statements of Abid Farooq Sumar, Asif Farooq Sumar, Faizur Rehman and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASF) Nida Junaid. The statement of witness Sarim bin Tahir has also been recorded through Zoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commission issued notices to Sindh Health Department Secretary Tahir Hussain Sangi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samiullah Soomro and Provincial Emergency Operation Centre Secretary Shehryar Memon for their appearance on Thursday at 11am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Memon has recently been appointed as the Sindh health services director general to replace Dr Pervez Ahmed Shaikh \u2014 a decision taken by the Sindh government on the day the latter testified before the commission and named Memon as the person who issued instructions to change the medical board formed for exhuming Ali\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notices were also issued to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Investigation Officer (IO) Siraj Ahmed Lashari and CPLC Assistant Chief (Operations\/Complaint Resolution Centre) Kashif Iftikhar for their appearance on Sept 28 (Monday) at 11am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the order, during Tuesday\u2019s hearing, Ali\u2019s family said they believed another special medical board was being considered. The family did not get any reply upon approaching Deputy Inspector General Amir Farooqi for confirmation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his order, Justice Sial further observed that if the Ali family\u2019s information was correct, such a move would nullify the commission\u2019s work to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe commission will then be unable to give its conclusive findings. It will narrow the commission\u2019s terms. The Government of Sindh has incurred substantial expenses in running this commission,\u201d Justice Sial wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The absence of \u201creliable, efficient, and complete communication\u201d between the deceased\u2019s family and the police was fueling public speculation, the judge noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The commission requested the Sindh inspector general (IG) that a duly authorised police focal person be appointed to communicate with the family and provide official information to the press and media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judicial panel noted that the witness statement again revealed that the entire record had not been provided to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven after repeated reminders, such a lack of relevant records is regrettable,\u201d the order said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI(National Times)- A judicial commission investigating the circumstances and possible negligence in the Mir Raza Ali murder case has observed that the motives of Medico-Legal Officer (MLO) Dr Osama Sheikh, who conducted the first autopsy, \u201cappear tainted\u201d. The body of the 25-year-old businessman was found in Karachi\u2019s Gulistan-i-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n