KARACHI: A local court on Friday remanded to police custody for interrogation two suspects, including the owner of a multistorey building that collapsed in Gulbahar.

The five-storey residential building collapsed resulting in the death of 27 people and causing injuries to 23 others on March 5.

Police claimed to have arrested the fleeing owner of the building Mohammad Javed and his “helper” Mohammad Younus over their alleged involvement in the case.

On Friday, the investigating officer produced them before the judicial magistrate (Central) Salamat Ali Soomro to seek their physical remand for interrogation and investigation.

The IO informed that Javed had allegedly escaped to avoid his arrest after the building collapsed and was tracked down, adding that the second suspect used to work as his helper.

He requested for 14-day physical remand of the suspects in police custody for interrogation arguing that the investigation was still incomplete while other legal formalities were also to be fulfilled to submit an investigation report.

However, the judge remanded them in police custody for one day and directed the IO to produce them on Saturday (today) and submit an investigation report.

A day earlier, the same court had also remanded three officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority, who were also detained in connection with the present case, in police custody for interrogation for three days.

They included deputy director Sarfaraz Jamali, assistant director Maqsood Qureshi and building inspector Irfan Ali.

According to the contents of the FIR, the building was owned by Javed, who himself was engaged in the business of construction. He had constructed the building in question on plot Number 1/95 in Gulbahar-2 area.

The police nominated the building’s owner as well as the officials of the building regulatory watchdog posted in the area in the case.

A case was registered under Sections 322 (manslaughter), 119 (public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent), 337-H (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on behalf of the state.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2020