RAWALPINDI, June 7: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, on Friday directed the Islamabad police chief to register a case against a policeman, who had allegedly mishandled a murder case and destroyed the evidence in connivance with the accused party.

The petitioner, Syed Nasrullah Shah, through his counsel Malik Waheed Anjum advocate, told the court that his son Syed Sair Tausif was killed in Islamabad in 1999.

The investigations were conducted by Sub-Inspector (SI) Khalid Rashid, who in connivance with the accused destroyed the evidence and tried to involve the petitioner in the case, the court was told.

The petitioner further stated that one of the witnesses was arrested by the SI who tortured him to give statement against the father of the deceased.

When the matter was published in the Press, the then Corps Commander Jamshed Gulzar Kiani raided the police station, got released the witness from the police custody and also ordered a judicial inquiry.

The assistant commissioner, Saddar conducted the inquiry, and found out that the SI was responsible for mishandling the case. “Had it been handled properly, it would have been completed much earlier,” the AC remarked.

The Islamabad police, however, contended that the investigation conducted by a committee, headed by the superintendent of police, Islamabad, came to the conclusion that the petitioner, along with some other persons, was involved in the murder of his son.

The Islamabad police chief stated that the SI conducted the investigation according to the merits of the case due to which Ilaqa Magistrate declared him innocent.

Justice Mian Mohammad Jehangir, in his order, stated that the inquiries conducted by the two departments — AC Saddar and Islamabad police — were illegal because information provided was that which disclosed the commission of cognizable offence.

“All the efforts to find out truth should have been made after preceding in the matter in accordance with the law keeping in view the provision of section 154 Cr.PC.”

The court directed the SSP and SHO Industrial Area police station to proceed strictly in view of provision of section 154 Cr PC, requiring the police to register the case.