KARACHI, Jan 11: An anti-terrorism court remanded on Friday father of the prime suspect of the Shahzeb murder case in police custody till Jan 16.

The police produced Sikandar Ali Jatoi before the trial court a day after his arrest outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad and sought his custody for interrogation in the murder case.

The police submitted in court that the suspect’s custody was required to find out how he had facilitated the prime suspect, Shahrukh Jatoi, to hide at unknown places and about the vehicle and weapons used in the commissioning of the crime.

Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon of the ATC-III ruled that since three other suspects — Nawab Siraj Ali Talpur, his younger brother Nawab Sajjad Ali Talpur and their house servant Ghulam Murtaza Lashari — had already been remanded in police custody till Jan 16 in the crime, the present suspect was also remanded in police custody till the same date.

The court directed the investigation officer of the case to complete the investigation and submit a charge-sheet within the stipulated period. The 60-year-old suspect, through his counsel, also moved an application seeking medical treatment or hospitalisation as he said he was feeling some pain.The court directed the IO to provide proper medical treatment as per procedure to the suspect, although he did not make any complaint about maltreatment.

The court also allowed the pleas of defence lawyers to meet their client.

The suspect is booked on a charge of abetment. His son Shahrukh is still at large.

According to the prosecution, the victim had an altercation with the suspects since they tried to tease his sister and later the issue was settled by some elders, but Siraj, Shahrukh, Sajjad and their accomplices killed the victim by opening indiscriminate fire on his vehicle on the night of Dec 24 in Phase V of the Defence Housing Authority.

Initially, the case (FIR 591/12) was registered under Section 302 (premeditated murder), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of the deceased’s father Aurangzeb, a deputy superintendent of police, at the Darakhshan police station.

However, during the investigation, Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modestly) of the PPC and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 was incorporated in the FIR.

Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate recorded on Friday the statements of two eyewitnesses in the Shahzeb murder case.

Judicial Magistrate Waqar Ahmed Soomro recorded the testimonies of the witnesses, said to be friends of the deceased, under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code in the presence of the three held suspects, Siraj, Sajjad and Ghulam Murtaza.

The witnesses deposed that the suspects and the victim had a dispute since they teased his sister and while pointing towards them, they said that later they killed him.