Sindh govt defers judicial probe at Mir Raza Ali's parents' request: Lanjar

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said the decision to establish a judicial commission to investigate the Mir Raza Ali murder case had been deferred at the request of his parents.

In a statement, Lanjar said the Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab had spoken to the deceased businessman's mother, adding that the government initially decided to pursue a judicial inquiry to ensure transparency in the case.

He said the victim’s expressed confidence in the newly-formed investigation team. The minister added that the decision to establish a judicial commission had been temporarily deferred at the parents' request.

A day ago, the home minister had announced that a judicial commission headed by high court judges would be constituted to investigate the alleged murder of the young businessman.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Naya Pakistan', he said a meeting had been held with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah regarding the case, during which the decision to constitute a judicial commission was taken.

The development came after the victim’s family lawyer, Jibran Nasir, clarified that his clients had declined a proposal for a judicial commission and asked authorities to allow the police investigation to continue.

Speaking to Geo News, the lawyer said the parents had formally informed the Karachi mayor, Sindh home minister and additional inspector general of their decision.

According to Nasir, the parents said the police team should be allowed to carry out its work within the law.

The lawyer said the parents had conveyed their position to the authorities in writing. “For now, there is no need for a judicial commission in the case.”

Meanwhile, sources privy to the matter said that evidence of acid has been found in deceased businessman Mir Raza Ali's stomach, and severe acid-related damage was detected in his lungs.

According to the sources, traces of acid were also found on Ali's hands and feet, while his shirt reportedly carried traces of acid and another person's sweat.

Sources said that police had sealed a guesthouse located near the scene after it was deemed suspicious, and detained six people working at the guesthouse.

The arrest of the six individuals took the total number of people detained in connection with the case to 21, including the deceased businessman's friends and business partners, they added.

Statements of the detained individuals have also been recorded, sources said.

The revelations emerged a day after Ali's body was exhumed and reburied after a medical board conducted a second post-mortem examination.

The initial medical report — a copy of which is available with Geo News — provided answers to all 14 points raised during the examination by police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed.

According to sources, the report revealed that Ali sustained a gunshot wound from the rear, while marks of violence were found across his body. Ali's ribs were found to be fractured, and multiple injury marks were identified on his head and face.

The lifeless body of Ali — an IBA graduate — was found in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi last month, a day after he went missing on July 28.

His father later alleged that the young businessman was murdered, dismissing speculation that his son had died by suicide.

Sharjeel Memon moves NCCIA over allegations

Separately, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon approached the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over what he described as false, fabricated, and malicious allegations circulating on social media linking him and his son, Rawal Memon, to the alleged murder of Ali.

A formal written complaint was submitted to the deputy director of the NCCIA Karachi Zone on August 9, through his lawyer, Advocate Syeda Malaika Naqvi, against certain social media accounts, allegedly harassing the complainant, creating and disseminating false and malicious content, and damaging the reputation of Memon and his son.

Rawal is currently in London on holiday. He told Geo News: "I am shocked to see the lies linking me and my father with an inhumane act. Those behind the lies must be brought to justice. We do not know the identities of the individuals operating various social media accounts, pages and groups. This is an organised smear campaign."

The complaint said that the material circulating on social media alleged that a guesthouse in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, where Ali was allegedly tortured and killed, was owned by Memon and that Rawal left for London immediately after the incident and subsequently moved around with a bodyguard.

The complaint also alleged that the social media content sought to create an impression that the medical board related to the case had been changed "overnight". It said Memon and his political party had also been accused of protecting those allegedly involved in the incident and obstructing the police investigation.