KARACHI, June 7: An accused in a murder case and his friend, a police constable, were shot dead on Saturday in front of the Central Prison as they came out of the judicial complex housed on the premises of the state penitentiary, police and witnesses said.

They said Mohammed Ali Memon, 32, along with his friends – Agha Bilal, Agha Jalal and Nisar – had come to the judicial complex in connection with the hearing of a murder case against him.

Memon’s younger brother, Javed Memon, was also shot dead in front of the Central Prison last year when he had come to visit his interned brother, who was charged with the murder of Ismail Magsi. Javed’s wife lodged the FIR against Magsi’s younger brother, Yousuf Magsi.

The police said four to five occupants of a white Pajero opened fire on Mohammed Ali Memon and his friends when they were about to leave the place on their motorbikes.

They said the Pajero, whose registration number was not known, sped away after the attackers sprayed a volley of bullets on the victims from automatic weapons. Witnesses said Mohammed Ali Memon was killed instantly and constable Agha Bilal was fatally wounded in the attack. Agha Bilal’s brother, Agha Jalal, was also injured.

The police said Bilal was rushed to the Liaquat National Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Later, the body was shifted to the Civil Hospital for autopsy.

Hospital sources said both the dead men received multiple bullet wounds from close range.

Jamshed Quarters police registered the case against Yousuf Magsi and his accomplices on the complaint of Agha Bilal’s brother, Gohar. Station Investigation Officer (SIO) Inspector Fateh Phulputo told Dawn that Mohammed Ali Memon was booked and arrested by Darakhshan police in 2006 in the FIR (No 213/06) for the murder of Ismail Magsi on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Yousuf Magsi.

The SIO said Memon, who used to run a car showroom in Jamshed Quarters three years ago, had a monetary dispute with Magsi, whose bullet-riddled body was found on May 10, 2006 at a desolate place in Phase VIII of the Defence Housing Authority. He said Mohammed Ali Memon was later arrested in the case and was finally given into judicial custody after completion of investigations against him.

The SIO said Memon was granted bail in the murder case and his younger brother Javed Memon was shot dead in front of the jail allegedly by Yousuf Magsi and his accomplices on the day when Mohammed Ali Memon was to be released on bail.

“Memon could not be released on that day due to some technical reasons, and his brother, who had come to receive him, was shot on his way from jail,” he added.

SIO Phulpoto said Mohammed Ali Memon had left Karachi and was living in Lahore as he had threats to his life from rivals. He said it appeared to be a case of revenge killings.

He said victim Agha Bilal was posted at the Gizri police station and lived in Saeedabad.

The SIO said one of the victim’s friends, Nisar, who remained unhurt in the attack, was taken into custody for questioning as the police suspected that the attackers had got a tip about the timing of the departure of the victims.