KARACHI: The prime suspect in the quadruple murder case confessed to killing four women of his family in a statement recorded before a judicial magistrate on Thursday.

The judicial magistrate sent the prime suspect and his friend to prison on judicial remand.

At the outset of Thursday’s hearing, the investigating officer (IO) produced two suspects, Bilal and Shehzad, before Judicial Magistrate (South) Kalsoom Mustafa Sahto after they had completed their police custody.

Meanwhile, the court allowed an application filed by the IO to record the confessional statement of prime suspect Bilal under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code.

Confesses to killing his mother, sister, sister-in-law and niece on provocation of his friend

In his statement before the magistrate, the suspect allegedly confessed that on the provocation of Shehzad, his friend, he had killed four women of his family, including an underage niece.

The prime suspect claimed that his friend asked him to kill his family members if he wanted to marry Shehzad’s sister.

But Shehzad in his statement before police denied the allegation, the IO told the court.

After recording the statement, the court remanded two suspects in the judicial custody.

In addition, the IO claimed that the prime suspect led the police to the crime scene and explained in detail how he had committed the crime.

The IO also revealed that he first slit his niece’s throat when she came to give him water. Then he went to his sister Madiha, who was recording a TikTok video in her room, and killed her with a knife. Afterwards, he went to the room of his mother, where she was cleaning the speakers, and killed her by approaching from behind.

Finally, when he entered his sister-in-law’s room, she noticed his blood-stained clothes and resisted which led to a scuffle in which the suspect also sustained injuries.

After killing his sister-in-law, the suspect wore his brother’s shirt and hid the murder weapon in his own shirt.

Later, the suspect went to his friend Shehzad’s house where he changed his shirt and shoes again. He then went to Native Jetty Bridge and disposed of the murder weapon which the police later recovered and sent for a forensic analysis.

The IO also revealed that he had planned to murder his family members more than two months ago and started watching the Indian TV show “Crime Patrol” to get ideas.

Earlier, the police apprehended the suspected abettor, Shezad, on charges of being accomplice, on the alleged confession of prime suspect Bilal.

A case was registered at the Baghdadi police station under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention).

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2024