• KU lab test shows mother’s DNA samples match with those collected from exhumed body, says DIG • ATC extends physical remand of suspects Armaghan and Sheraz for five more days

KARACHI: The body exhumed from the Edhi graveyard in Mowach Goth on Friday by a medical board has been identified as of Mustafa Amir’s, officials said on Saturday.

DIG CIA Muqaddus Haider told Dawn that the police received a report from the forensic science lab at the University of Karachi.

He said that the report stated that the DNA samples taken from the body matched with Mustafa’s mother’s as well as the samples collected from a room of the home of prime suspect Armaghan in DHA.

Appreciating the performance of the DNA lab, the DIG said that experts concerned at KU lab remained at the facility for the entire night and sent their findings to the police on Saturday.

Regarding investigation, the DIG said investigators had taken both Armaghan and Sheraz to Hub, where they dumped the body. He claimed that the suspects “identified the place from where the torched car and body of the victim was recovered”.

Remand extended

Also on Saturday, an anti-terrorism court handed over the custody of two suspects to police for five more days.

After the end of their first physical remand, the investigating officer (IO) again produced suspect Armaghan and Syed Sheraz Hussain Bukhari before the court and sought their 14-day physical remand for further investigations.

The ATC judge granted five-day extension in physical remand of both suspects with an observation that they were required for further investigations.

The prime suspect, Armaghan, along with his accomplice, Sheraz, has been booked for allegedly abducting and killing 23-year-old Amir at his home in the Defence Housing Authority last month as well as setting the body along with the car of the deceased ablaze in Hub area.

The IO, Inspector Mohammad Ali, brought the suspects before the ATC, located at the judicial complex inside the Central Prison Karachi, with faces covered and submitted that two absconding servants of Armaghan, Ghulam Mustafa and Mohammad Zohaib, were present at the crime scene and removed bloodstains. He said that the police wanted to arrest them as they caused disappearance of evidence.

He submitted that one of the five blood samples, collected from the house of main suspect, has matched with the samples of complainant/mother of deceased while other blood samples were found to be of a girl who was also subjected to torture in the same room a day before the murder of Amir.

The IO also submitted that the custody of both suspects was further required to get information regarding whereabouts of Armaghan’s servants as well as to locate the girl.

He further said that some other servants of main suspect had seen Sheraz at the day of the incident and thus, the police will have to record their statements under Section 164 of CrPC before a judicial magistrate.

The IO submitted that the main suspect, who has also been booked in three connected cases for attacking a raiding police party and having illicit weapons, was running a call centre and warehouse and involved in illegal activities along with one Noman, and that Armaghan was needed to be further interrogated to collect evidence about his involvement in money laundering and other illegal activities.

Prime suspect fires lawyer

The main suspect fell in the courtroom during the hearing. He complained that he was being threatened by police and was facing non-provision of food during police custody.

However, acting prosecutor general Muntazir Mehdi argued that the suspects also fell at the Sindh High Court and before another ATC earlier in a similar fashion and as per medical examination, Armaghan was fit and healthy.

The counsel for the main suspect was found absent on Saturday and Armaghan was of the view that the lawyer appeared on the last hearing and had forcibly obtained his signature on vakalatnama. Therefore, he disowned that lawyer.

Another lawyer appeared before the court on Saturday and attempted to file vakalatnama on behalf of the prime suspect, but the suspect denied and disowned the same.

Representing Sheraz, lawyer Khurram Abbas Awan argued that his client has nothing to do with the present case while police had raided suspect’s house without lady police and took away a laptop of Sheraz’s sister.

After hearing both sides and examining police files, the ATC in it order said, “Since the accused are required for further investigation in matters as they are required for arrest of co-accused of these cases and recording of statements U/s 164 of CrPC, therefore further five days’ police custody remand w.e.f 22.02.2025 to 26.02.2025 is granted for further investigation”.

It also directed the IO to produce the suspects at the next hearing with a progress report.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2025