KARACHI: A district court on Tuesday deferred the indictment of four suspects in a case pertaining to the death of Dr Maha Shah, who the suspects have been accused of allegedly luring into consuming drugs, torturing and blackmailing, leading to her death.

Police had initially said the 24-year-old doctor had committed suicide by shooting herself in her DHA home on Aug 18, 2020. Later, police detained her friends — Junaid Khan, Waqas Hussain Rizvi, Tabish Yaseen Qureshi and Saad Nasir Siddiqui — and booked them under relevant sections of the law.

When the matter came up before District and Sessions Judge (South) Munawar Ali Lodhi for indictment, suspects Waqas, Tabish and Saad appeared in court on bail but the fourth suspect Junaid Khan was called absent.

Therefore, the judge deferred their indictment in the present case and asked the suspects to ensure their appearance on April 24.

On the last date, the investigating officer had filed an interim charge sheet after the lapse of almost three months.

He had mentioned that during the course of investigation no evidence was found regarding an assault on Dr Shah by the nominated suspects, criminal intimidation and poisoning her to death.

He submitted that in view of the evidence an offence of manslaughter against Junaid Khan was made out.

The IO said Khan had friendship with Dr Maha and he allegedly lured her into drug addiction and the couple made trips to Dubai. They were seen with Waqas.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2021