FAISALABAD: After recording the statement of a convicted target killer, Naveed alias Commando, who alleged he killed Asghar Ali alias Bhola Gujjar and three others on the direction of Rana Sanaullah, the police were preparing to include the Punjab law minister in the investigation as prime suspect, sources told Dawn

According to the sources, Rana Sana may be summoned for investigation in the light of Naveed’s statement within a couple of days.

Anti Terrorism Court Judge Raja Pervez Akthar had directed City Police Officer Afzaal Kausar to appoint an SP rank officer to probe into the statement of Commando he recorded in the court on July 15 during the trial of Asghar Ali alias Bhola Gujjar murder case that was concluded on Oct 21.

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that on the special permission of the ATC judge, SSP (operations) Irfanullah recorded Naveed’s statement at the Central Jail on Monday where he was detained in the high-security barracks as he apprehended that he would be killed by police.

They said in the light of the statement, the police officers had decided to grill Rana Sanaullah as prime suspect.

Commando reiterates charges in statement to police

The convict has categorically told the police officer that the statement he recorded before the court was final.

In his statement, he alleged that he had gunned down four people-- Khurram alias Khurmi Bajwa, Arshad Lohar, Bhola Gujjar and Aslam Jorra--on the direction of Rana Sanaullah.

He alleged that Rana Sana had adopted him as his “son”, and used to call him Zahid.

He said that he met Rana Sana him at his outhouse and told him that Khurram Bajwa belonged to Sahi group and had been creating problems for him in the election.

Quoting Rana Sana, Naveed said Bajwa, a gangster, and his accomplices were involved in his (Sana’s) kidnap and humiliation when he was picked up and subjected to torture by an agency at the behest of the then ruling party.

Naveed stated that on the direction of Rana Sanaullah he later killed Bajwa.

Similarly, he said, Chachu Ishfaq, a “right hand man” of Rana Sana, asked him to trace Aslam Jorra and kill him.

He said on a tip-off, a police inspector Mian Rafiq went to Rahim Yar Khan and traced Jorra. “I also joined the encounter team and my two bullets hit Jorra and he fell down on the ground”, Naveed stated.

Mian Shehzad, a private guard of inspector Mian Rafiq finished Jorra with a burst of bullets on the spot, he added. He said Rahim Yar Khan DPO Sohail Zafar Chattha arrived at the spot and appreciated him for killing Jorra.

“Rana Sana also admired my act”, he told police.

Then the CPO awarded SP Farooq Hundal, DSP Malik Khalid, Mian Rafiq and Farrukh Waheed prizes for that “fake encounter”, he said.

He alleged that Aslam’s brother Akram Jorra, who was in district jail, was also got killed in connivance with jail superintendent Rana Razaullah, inspector Mian Rafiq and Waheed in a fake encounter.

“I had killed Bhola Gujjar, Arshad Lohar, Aslam Jorra and Khurram Bajwa on the direction and abatement of Rana Sana,” Naveed said in his statement.

Rana Sanaullah has denied his involvement in the murders, saying the allegations were being leveled to stop him from pursuing the murder case of Bhola Gujjar “who was like my brother”.

A source said the district police had also requested the Punjab police inspector general, to attach two inspectors -- Ansar Farooq Maan from Gujranwala and Farooq Ranjah from Sheikhupura to the team to investigate Gujjar’s murder.

Gujjar was gunned down in January last near Sitta Ram Temple when he was on way home along with a driver Siddique.

The court had handed down death sentence on four counts to Naveed Commando and Nafees alias Goga. Two others -- Anjum Niaz and a police constable Tahir -- had been handed down life imprisonment on four counts.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2015