KARACHI: A local court issued on Monday a show-cause notice to a superintendent of police (SP) over the failure of an investigating officer (IO) to file a charge sheet in an alleged electrocution case registered against the K-Electric management.

Mohammad Umair allegedly died after accidentally touching an electric wire on Aug 11 within the remit of the Baghdadi police station.

On the last date of hearing, the court had issued a show-cause notice to the IO for failing to submit a charge sheet in the case despite the lapse of around three months of the incident.

On Monday, the matter came up before the judicial magistrate (South), Abbas Ali Dall, for the submission of the investigation report. However, the IO once again failed to file a charge sheet and requested for more time to do so.

NBW issued for ex-DIG’s arrest in an extrajudicial killing case

The judge took notice of his failure to submit a charge sheet after repeated directives and issuance of a show-cause notice to him to furnish a written explanation about the delays.

Therefore, the judge issued a show-cause notice to the SP (investigation) concerned with the direction to ensure that a charge sheet was filed by the IO on the next date of hearing, and set the matter for Nov 19.

According to the contents of the FIR, Umair took his sacrificial animal out in the street on the night of Aug 11 during a monsoon spell in the metropolis.

The victim reportedly touched an electric wire lying on the footpath of the road in Sarrafa Bazaar on Nawab Mohabbat Khanji Road, when he allegedly received an electric shock from it and died on the spot.

The victim’s brother Mohammad Ameen had lodged a case against the K-Electric management under relevant sections of the law.

Hearing put off

Meanwhile, an identical case pertaining to the death of three youths allegedly from electrocution in the Defence Housing Authority could not be taken up as the judge was on leave.

Three friends — Talha Tanvir, 28; Faizan Saleem, 25; and Hamza Tariq Butt, 20 — had died allegedly from electrocution on the eve of Eidul Azha on Aug 12.

On Monday, the matter could not be taken up since the judicial magistrate (South), Abdul Raqeeb Tunio, was on leave. The hearing was fixed for Nov 24.

Arrest warrants for ex-DIG

A model court has issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of former DIG Sultan Ali Khawaja for failing to turn up to testify in a case pertaining to an alleged staged encounter.

Six accused — Faraz Baloch, Hasan Baloch, Zameer Brohi, Sher Mohammad, M. Ayub and Imran — have been charged with alleged extrajudicial killing of Tariq Hussain in September 2015.

Additional sessions judge Haleem Ahmed of the model criminal trial court (East) was set to record the testimony of a prosecution witness, Sultan Ali Khawaja, in the present case.

However, Mr Khawaja, serving as director of the Federal Investigation Agency in Sindh, did not turn up to record his statement.

Taking notice of his absence despite repeated notices, the judge issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of the witness. Sindh IG Kaleem Imam was directed to ensure compliance with the warrants on Tuesday (today).

The judge further directed that in case the warrant could not be served on Mr Khawaja, the additional IG of Karachi should appear before the court in person with an explanation for non-compliance with the order.

Mr Khawaja is reportedly the last witness of prosecution to testify in the present case.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2019