HYDERABAD, Jan 3: The district and sessions judge, Zaheeruddin S. Leghari, will begin judicial inquiry on Wednesday in custodial death of Ms Kanwal, an Indian national woman, who died in the Darul Aman Qasimabad on August 14, 2005 under mysterious circumstances.

The judge has already issued notices to DCO Hyderabad, in-charge Darul Aman, Qasimabad police in the matter.

The judge is taking action in the matter in accordance with section 22-A and B Cr. PC by referring such matters to additional district judges or holding the proceedings themselves.

The judicial inquiry was requested by National Crisis Management Cell chief Brig Javed Iqbal following publications of statements of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, opposition leader in Indian Lok Sabha, L. K. Advani and another member George Fernandes in respect of death of Kanwal Arain.

The NCMC chief sent a copy of their letter to the home department, calling for judicial inquiry into the matter.

The letter was written to Kamla Devi, Mukhia Manzil near Rama Pir Mandir, Tando Allahyar.

The signatories to the statement described Kanwal as Kanwal Devi.

The NCMC also attached another letter written by Syeda Dure Shahwar Jafri, Coordinator for Sindh Tehrik-e-Samaji Behbood Pakistan which was addressed to chief executive and project director of the Sindh Development Society on publication of its report into death of Kanwal.

Ms Jafri described SDS’s report as based on dishonesty in which Kanwal was shown to be member of the Arain community.

She claimed that according to her knowledge people of Arain community are not living in Delhi and that there was no mention of her paramour.