Footage itself an evidence: CJ

ISLAMABAD Contrary to the prevailing rumours and misconceptions, the report of the inquiry commission, which was headed by Justice (R) Kazim Malik, unearthed that Mughees and Munib, two brothers who were brutally beaten to death and later lynched with the water tank, were not robbers. Not even a single case of mobile snatching had been registered against Mughees and Munib in their entire life and till the time of the incident there was no pending FIR against them in any police station, the report stated. The Investigation Officer Shahanshah Bukhari of this case and Medical Officer Dr Farooq who conducted the autopsy, deliberately made the report mild. According to the second investigation report submitted by the Additional Inspector General Punjab Police, Mushtaq Sukhira, ex-District Police Officer Waqar Chohan was involved in the incident as in his presence the dead bodies of two brothers were lynched with the water tank. According to the report, the police officials, who were present at the crime scene, encouraged the people to kill two brothers, therefore they are equally responsible for their murder, whereas the eyewitnesses of the incident are also equally responsible. In his detailed report, Malik requested the apex court to get the bodies of both the brothers exhumed for autopsy because the medical report received by the police department denied any torture incident. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that the footage shown on a private TV channel was itself an evidence. Chief Justice ordered the police to arrest the cops who had escaped and produce them before the court today (Thursday). The CJ also ordered further investigation into the incident. The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday found several inaccuracies, inconsistencies and lapses in the investigation of police. The bench asked the Advocate General Punjab to look into the matter and ensure the fair play in the investigations. Advocate General Punjab Khawaja Haris ensured the bench his full support in this regard. The court called Advocate General Punjab Khawaja Harris to the rostrum and directed him, while handing over the report, to make it public and monitor the progress in the investigations. Here we have no trend to make such reports public but this report must be made public, the Chief Justice observed. He informed the bench that no villager was willing to become witness in this case, however seventeen people and ten police officials had been taken into custody whereas the SHO Rana Ilyas and other three police officials were on the run. The Chief Justice remarked that the police was investigating the matter in an ordinary manner saying that it was not an ordinary case. It shocked the people across the globe, he added. Mushtaq Sukhera, Additional IG Punjab, told the bench that negligence shown on the part of police department distorted its image internationally. He said that he himself received several phone calls from the people and felt ashamed. In its report submitted in the Supreme Court, he held that 17 out of 18 civilian accused and 6 out of 10 police accused were arrested and remaining would be arrested soon. The court asked him to ensure early arrest of accused especially SHO Rana Ilyas. The court shown its displeasure over police lax attitude due to which SHO had managed to escape from the police custody. Khadim Hussain Qaiser, Deputy Advocate General Punjab, informed the court regarding the names of the culprits who had been arrested. The names are Ali peter, Nashua, Asher, Teri Miner, Muhammad Hussein, Muhammad Sodium alias Fuji, Kaiser alias Mood, Jam eel alias Jell, Hessian s/o Mocha, Jam shed alias Cheddar, Madame, Rushed Mohr, Wares alias Method, Equal alias Balloon, Sartre alias Sara, Ashlars s/o Ahmad Ali, Owes s/o Raza. The court also asked the police to ensure protection of Hafiz Iran, a local reporter, who unearthed the incident. The report also confirmed polices involvement in the gruesome lynching of the two brothers. The footage had triggered a nationwide uproar against the cruelty of police. Later, talking to the reporters, father of the deceased thanked Almighty Allah, media and Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the issue had been taken up. He said that if the issue would not have been highlighted, it was possible that his sons might have been declared as robbers and dacoits. On the occasion, PML-N MNA Kawaka Asia was also present in the court. He presented a cheque of 1 million to the family of Hughes and Monee as compensation, which they contributed for flood victims.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt