KARACHI: Police claimed to have arrested three persons, including a son of the owner of RJ Shopping Mall where a fire claimed 11 lives last month, when they were allegedly sabotaging evidence after entering the sealed building.

On Saturday, the investigating officer of the inferno case produced builder/owner Arif Dhoni’s son Ehsan, Hashir and Yawar before Judicial Magistrate (East) Rashid Ali Ujjan.

In a remand report submitted before the court, the police stated that their source had informed them on Friday that the son of the “owner of RJ Shopping Mall” and others were attempting to secretly enter the mall. Acting on the tip-off, the police carried out a raid and apprehended three individuals “red-handed” who were in possession of files, maps and two DVR.

The IO informed the court that the trio were attempting to “sabotage evidence” and the police included Section 201 (Disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR.

He submitted that the police requested various departments for a comprehensive examination of the building.

The police requested a six-day remand for further inquiry. However; the magistrate remanded the suspects in police custody for four days.

The IO also produced five other suspects — Imran and Adnan, reported owners of a software firm, mall administrators Sultan and Faizan, and security in-charge Abid Shah — in court after the end of their last physical remand and sought an extension in their remand.

The magistrate also extended their physical remand by Dec 13 and directed the IO to produce all the suspects along with a progress report on the next date.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2023