sharukh-app-670
Shahrukh Jatoi, prime suspect in the Shahzeb Khan murder case. — Photo by APP/File

ISLAMABAD: During Tuesday’s hearing of the suo motu notice over the murder of Shahzeb Khan, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said those who aided prime suspect Shahrukh Jatoi in fleeing the country should be arrested, DawnNews reported.

A three judge bench of the apex court, headed by the chief justice, heard the case pertaining to the killing of 20-year-old Shahzeb, son of Deputy Superintendent of Police Aurangzeb Khan, who was gunned down in Karachi on the night between Dec 24 and 25.

During the hearing, Deputy Inspector General Shahid Hayat presented before the bench the progress report on the case ongoing in the trial court.

In his remarks, Chief Justice Iftikhar said he expected that the case would be investigated fairly and properly.

Hayat told the bench that Shahrukh, the underage suspect who was recently sent to the juvenile jail on judicial remand till Jan 29 by an anti-terrorism court, had flown abroad on Dec 27, 2012.

Responding to which, the chief justice said Shahrukh’s father, Sikander Jatoi, had stated that his son had also gone to a hospital to receive first aid.

Hayat said Shahrukh had not suffered any injuries and neither had the police been able to locate the clinic where he had allegedly gone.

The chief justice then remarked that the information implied that Sikander had been misguiding the public on television and also obstructing the investigation.

He added that those who had aided Shahrukh in fleeing the country should also be arrested.

The chief justice said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had stated that the police was in possession of Shahrukh's (two) passports.

Upon which, Hayat replied that Shahrukh had travelled abroad on an 'emergency' passport.

Chief Justice Iftikhar further said that the First Information Report (FIR) stated that Shahrukh had left the country using someone else's boarding pass.

He added that authorities had failed to determine who had assisted Shahrukh in fleeing the country.

The chief justice moreover stated that in certain cases, parties attempted at declaring the accused as a minor so that they may be saved from capital punishment.

Responding to which, additional prosecutor Sindh said Shahrukh's passport gave Nov 27, 1995 as the suspect’s date of birth.

The chief justice added that a minor could not manage to escape the country as Shahrukh did.

Apart from Shahrukh, the ATC had also remanded three other suspects — Nawab Siraj Ali Talpur, his younger brother Nawab Sajjad Ali Talpur and their house servant Ghulam Murtaza Lashari — in judicial custody.

The hearing was later adjourned to Feb 4.

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