IO ordered to file charge sheet in principal’s murder case

KARACHI: A local court hearing the murder case of a private school principal has directed the investigation officer (IO) to submit a charge sheet against the four accused detained in the case by January 15.

Expressing displeasure at the IO’s failure in presenting a charge sheet in the case of Ambreen Fatima, the school principal who was murdered by her husband last month, the court set January 15 as the next hearing and the last date for the IO to submit the charge sheet. Four accused Ali Hassan, the deceased’s husband, Bilal, Balaaj and Sehrish are already in custody, while two co-accused Gul Nawaz and Danish are out on bail.

Sehrish, who is the second wife of key accused Hassan, was produced before the court of the judicial magistrate (East) on Monday as her attorney filed papers on her behalf and got permission to plead the case for her. She is alleged to have played a part in the murder of Hassan’s first wife Ambreen in collaboration with her brother Balaaj and others. At the previous hearing, the IO had told the court that the pistol used in Ambreen’s murder was found in the possession of Hassan, who has confessed to murdering her on December 10. Hassan had earlier claimed to the police that they were driving around in the city when some muggers intercepted them in Soldier Bazaar and shot Ambreen dead when he made a slight movement to hand over valuables. Police found holes in his story during investigation and when taken into custody he confessed to the murder and concocting the muggers story. He said he, along with Sehrish and her brother had hatched the plan to murder Ambreen.