MANSEHRA, June 5: A judicial magistrate on Tuesday launched an investigation into the death of a man in police custody, relatives of the deceased told Dawn.

Judicial Magistrate Mirza Kashif recorded statements of the relatives of the victim, Zahir Shah, and some police officials.

Zahir Shah was picked up by police in connection with the murder of a girl. He later died in police custody, with the police claiming that he had committed a suicide.

After recording his statement before the magistrate, Niaz Ali Shah, the father of the deceased, claimed that his son was innocent, but police falsely implicated him in the murder case on suspicion.

He alleged that investigating officer Jehanzeb Khan of the Saddar Police Station had demanded Rs50,000 as bribe from him to set Zahir Shah free. He added that the investigating officer had asked him for a mobile phone card of Rs600, which was handed over to him.

The magistrate also recorded statements of SHO Sattar Khan and other witnesses in the case. District Police Officer Waqas Nazeer has suspended the police officer concerned.