KARACHI/LAHORE: State Bank Governor Tariq Bajwa on Friday categorically denied that the prime suspect in the Zainab rape-murder case had any local or foreign bank account.

In his programme on TV channel News One, anchor Shahid Masood had claimed that suspect Imran Ali — apart from having links with some people who are running an international child pornography ring — was operating over 37 foreign currency bank accounts.

On Thursday, the anchor had handed over to Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar two names in a folded paper who, he claimed, were behind an international racket running a child pornography ring. And later talking to journalists, he claimed that one of them was a sitting federal minister but kept the name secret, saying the disclosure might endanger the life of the suspected killer who was arrested on Tuesday.

JIT inquiry report on TV anchor’s allegations submitted to Supreme Court; two policemen held for recording, leaking video clips of suspect in custody

The SBP governor said the Punjab government had requested the central bank to trace accounts of the suspect, if there was any. He said no account had been found in any bank on the computerised national identity card of the suspect provided to the SBP. Mr Bajwa said the suspect had a mobile account with only Rs130 in it.

According to the SBP spokesman, the bank received another CNIC of the suspect on Friday, but found no account on the second card as well.

JIT inquiry report

Terming the anchor’s claim “baseless and concocted”, the Punjab government alleged that it was an attempt by him to distract the investigators probing the high-profile rape-murder case and also mislead the nation.

Punjab government’s spokesman Ahmad Malik Khan said the joint investigation team (JIT) formed to investigate the allegations levelled by the anchor had finalised its findings on the bank accounts of suspect Imran and submitted its report to the Supreme Court for further action.

He was sharing details of the inquiry report on Dr Masood’s allegations with the media at a hurriedly called press conference at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore on Friday.

On the directives of the Supreme Court chief justice, the Punjab government had included the Forensic Science Agency director general and an official of the State Bank in the seven-member JIT to probe allegations about the suspect’s bank accounts.

“The JIT members finalised the inquiry report declaring that no bank accounts of the prime suspect in the Zainab murder case were found in commercial banks in any part of the province,” Mr Malik told the reporters.

Sheikhupura Regional Police Officer Zulfiqar Hameed also accompanied the spokesman, making his first appearance at a press conference since the murder case has surfaced in the media. Mr Hameed was facing allegations that the violent protests had started in Kasur after he refused the demand of Zainab’s family for an exemplary action against the SHO of the police station concerned over his alleged negligence in the case.

However, Mr Malik rescued the RPO when journalists tried to grill him in this regard. Intervening on the occasion, he asked the journalists to discuss only the matter pertaining to bank accounts of the suspect.

In reply to a question, the spokesman said the JIT had called Dr Shahid Masood twice to appear before it and submit evidence to substantiate his allegations. “The JIT also sent a legal notice to the television anchor, but he neither responded nor appeared before it.”

He also shared with the media official documents of the State Bank pertaining to the bank accounts of suspect Imran.

The SBP’s official version states: “We would like to inform that the matter of searching the bank accounts (local/foreign currency) of accused Irman Ali has been taken up with all commercial banks. However, all the commercial banks have informed [SBP] that they have searched their databases and found no account of the accused against his CNIC.”

In response to a question about action against Dr Masood for levelling fake allegations, Mr Malik said it depended upon the chief justice who had taken a suo motu action on the matter.

The Punjab government would also take action against the anchor after completing investigation into the Zainab murder case, he added.

Suspect’s video clips

The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) has arrested two policemen for recording and leaking video clips of suspect Imran.

The police authorities acted when they came to know that the electronic media had run the video clips of Zainab’s killer.

In the clips, the suspect was seen revealing how he had kidnapped Zainab before committing rape and murder.

An inquiry by senior police officers found that assistant sub-inspector Mohammad Akram and head constable Shafiq had made the video of Imran via a mobile phone.

On the order of the police high-ups, both were arrested and sent behind bars. The police also registered a case against them on the complaint of the Model Town CIA DSP.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2018