LAHORE   -    A sessions court Friday handed down life imprisonment to former senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mufakhar Adeel in the murder case of former law officer Shahbaz Tatla. The court also imposed Rs 400,000 fine on the accused and ordered that the convict would have to undergo additional imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine. However, the court acquitted co-accused, Asad Bhatti and Irfan Ali, while giving them the benefit of doubt. Additional District and Sessions Judge Shabraiz Akhtar announced the verdict, which had been reserved after hearing arguments of the parties. The jail authorities produced Mufakhar in the court.

The prosecution produced 26 witnesses against the accused, during the trial. Naseerabad police had filed the challan against the accused. It was alleged that Mufakhar, along with his accomplices, killed Shahbaz Tatla and then dissolved his body in acid before disposing of the remains. The police stated that Mufakhar had killed Tatla “for honour”. The accused were indicted on October 7, 2020.