HYDERABAD, Oct 8: The Crime Branch, Karachi, on Monday once again failed to explain on what grounds the names of former MNA and father of former senator Asif Ali Zardari, Hakim Ali Zardari, and Zanwar Ghulam Hyder have been omitted in the reinvestigation of the double murder case of Alam Baloch and his gunman, Imdad Hussain.

The Third Additional District Judge, Mr. Ameer Ali Thari, has summoned investigating officer of the case, the DSP, Crime Branch Karachi, Zarar Khan, to appear before the court on Oct 31 and respond to the court’s queries.

The additional SHO, Qasimabad police station, appeared before the court with the supplementary chargesheet prepared by the Crime Branch Karachi.

When the judge asked him questions, he failed to answer them. He, however, informed the court that the case was reinvestigated by the Crime Branch Karachi whose officials would be in a better position to answer the questions.

The court wanted to know as to why the names of former MNA Hakim Ali Zardari and Zanwar Ghulam Hyder had been excluded from the chargesheet of the supplementary challan and on what basis.

Although the DSP, Crime Branch Karachi, Zarar Khan, was present in the court’s premises but he did not appear before the in charge, STA Judge, Ameer Ali Thari. Alam Baloch’s son, Usman Almani, was also present in the court.

On being contacted, the SHO, Qasimabad police station, Ayub Patoli, told this correspondent that the Crime Branch DSP, Zarar Khan, did not inform the Qasimabad police (which had actually challaned the case first having territorial jurisdiction of the double murder case) as to why and how the names of Hakim Ali Zardari and Zanwar Ghulam Hyder had been omitted or exonerated in the reinvestigation and simultaneously the names of two more accused, Nawab Leghari and Inayat alias Adher Jamali, had been recommended for prosecution.

He claimed that when he asked the DSP Zarar to explain these points, the DSP claimed to have secured evidence in this context and would produce the same on Oct 31.

The court noted that the names of Hakim Ali Zardari and Zanwar Ghulam Hyder had been omitted because the Crime Branch did not place them in any of the columns of absconders, accused released on bail, and those acquitted in the case.

The PDSP branch of Hyderabad district police after going through the reinvestigation report had also raised objections and had sent it back to the Crime Branch, an official of the PDSP branch confirmed on Monday.

He stated that the Crime Branch must reply to the queries of the PDSP branch and Qasimabad police before submitting the supplementary chargesheet of the case.

Another police official claimed that it indicated how lightly the Crime Branch Karachi officials had taken this high-profile double murder case involving the husband and father of former prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto.

The Crime Branch Karachi is required to answer the questions put by the PDSP branch, Hyderabad, pertaining to exoneration or omission of names of Hakim Ali Zardari and Zanwar Ghulam Hyder from the case and recommendation of two names, Nawab Leghari and Inayat alias Adher Jamali, for prosecution in the case.

The DSP, Crime Branch, has, however, recommended in his report that Nawab Leghari and Inayat alias Adher Jamali, if approved, may be included in the supplementary chargesheet and sent up for trial along with the other accused.

As per the list of accused of Crime Branch, Asif Ali Zardari s/o Hakim Ali Zardari, Zafar Ali s/o Abdul Shareef Meerani, Abdul Lateef Ansari s/o Ahmed Khan Ansari, Abdul Shakoor Ansari s/o Ahmed Khan Ansari, and Abdul Hafeez Ansari s/o Ahmed Khan Ansari, A Wasayo s/o Sujawal, Ghulam Nabi alias Ganjo s/o A Dino Zardari, and A Dad alias Porho Zardari s/o Basharat Khan Zardari were the main accused.