RAHIM YAR KHAN, Feb 18: Lack of trust on the conduct of police and the involvement of so many pressure groups in criminal cases makes it impossible for any independent observer to decide between the oppressed and oppressor.

One such murder episode that was said to be an outcome of a feud between the deceased’s mother and his wife is a case in point, which has still not been resolved even after seven months.

The police investigated the murder and the case was sent to a court when a politically influence personality prevailed upon the police and got the FIR cancelled.

Unsatisfied with the proceedings, the complainant, mother of the deacsed, moved another court for the redressal of her grievance. Now an additional district and sessions judge has directed the police to submit a report regarding the cancellation of the FIR before court on Feb 20.

Ghulam Asghar Daya of Mauza Noonari had died of gunshot wounds on June 23, 2006, in a mango orchard near his house in the limits of Abadpur police station.

The deceased used to live in Basti Haji Ghulam Qadir Noonari along with his father Ghulam Nabi Daya, mother Maqsood Mai, brother Ghulam Haider Daya and sister Zahida Bibi.

In 1980, Asghar Daya contracted marriage with widow Bakhtoo Mai of Mauza Bhutta Wahan, Sadiqabad tehsil. The couple had three sons and two daughters. In 1991, he went to Saudi Arabia to earn his livelihood and returned to Pakistan in 2001.

When contacted, deceased’s mother Maqsood Mai alleged that her daughter-in-law Bakhtoo Mai had relations with Malik Ghulam Qadir of Bhutta Wahan. She said that she had informed her son about Mai’s wrongdoings, but he did not care. During her son’s stay in Saudi Arabia, she said relations were more warmth between Ghulam Qadir and Bakhtoo Mai.

On the complaint of Maqsood Mai, area chief Jam Allah Bachaaya and lumberdar Jam Allah Ditta asked Bakhtoo Mai to leave the village, but she bluntly refused.

However, after the return of Asghar Daya from Saudia in 2001 his family was driven out of the village and they settled in a nearby village, hardly two kilometre from there. This provided an opportunity to Malik Ghulam Qadir, his son Malik Altaf Ahmed and his friend Muhammad Zahid Dahir to frequent their house.

Later, Asghar Daya turned down the proposal of Ghulam Qadir for the marriage of his daughters Tanzeela and Rubab with Altaf and Zahid Dahir, much to the annoyance of Bakhtoo Mai.

Maqsood Mai alleged that her daughter-in-law and her son Muhammad Asif plotted to kill Asghar Daya. On June 23, 2006, she said her grandson Asif had taken his father to a mango orchard on the plea that he heard voices of some wild animals. Accompanied by his son and wife, Asghar Daya armed with his pistol headed towards the orchard. She said her son died when a blind bullet hit him near the orchard.

Maqsood Mai also suspected the hand of Bakhtoo Mai, his lover Ghulam Qadir, his son Altaf Ahmed and Zahid Dahir in the murder of her son. She alleged that Abadpur SHO Saifullah Khan Qurai had refused to register a murder case on July 1, 2006.

She alleged that the accused had got the postmortem report in their favour whereas the torture had resulted in the fracture of an arm of her son.

On her application, she said DPO Chaudhry Sultan Mehmood deputed Saddar DSP Syed Jammat Ali Shah to investigate the murder case. She claimed that the DSP had verbally accepted her claim as true, but he submitted a written report in favour of the accused.

It was only after she moved the court that the Abadpur police had registered a murder case against Bakhtoo Mai, Asif, Ghulam Qadir, Altaf Ahmed and Zahid Dahir on Nov 8, 2006.

Dissatisfied with ASI Malik Wazir’s investigation, Maqsood Mai approached the DPO again who deputed DSP (Investigation) Rana Saeed Ahmed as an inquiry officer. Following three hearings, she said all the accused succeeded in getting interim bails from the court on Dec 27, 2006.

She alleged that the accused had bought off the DSP to tilt the case in their favour. Later, the FIR against the accused was cancelled on Jan 20 last on the political pressure of Tassaduq Shah, coordinator to state minister for foreign affairs Makhdoom Khusroo Bakhtiar, companions of PPP leaders Makhdoom Emaduddin and former provincial minister Aslam Khan Dahir, Bahoodipur Qureshian naib nazim Jam Mushtaq Noonari and Jam Ghulam Rasool.

Bakhtoo Mai and her son Asif meanwhile claimed that Asghar Daya had died with the bullet of his own pistol that went off accidentally.

Meanwhile, Ghulam Qadir, Altaf Ahmed and Zahid Dahir said that Maqsood Mai was roping them in a false case because she did not like their friendship with her son.

Ghulam Qadir said that there was no truth in the allegation that he had proposed deceased’s two daughters for Altaf Ahmed and Zahid Dahir as they had already been wedded some three years back. He further claimed that witness Habibullah had in an affidavit testified our innocence.

When contacted, DSP (investigation) Rana Saeed Ahmed said that the written statement of Maqsood Mai clearly indicated that her son had died accidentally.

He said the postmortem report proved that the bullet was fired from a point blank range while the witness claimed that it was shot from a distance of some 15 feet. The DSP said he had investigated the case above the consideration of any political pressure.

Tassaduq Shah said that he was unaware about the case and that he had never met the DSP in this regard.

PPP leader Makhdoom Emaduddin said that the postmortem report substantiated that Asghar Daya had died with a bullet of his own pistol. He claimed that he had no interest in this case, but said that an ASI was backing Maqsood Mai.