DHA double-murder case: Court seeks medico-legal report on suspect’s condition

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Saturday extended the physical remand of the suspected killer in the DHA double murder case for three more days besides seeking a medico-legal report of his condition.

Atif Zaman allegedly killed his business partners, anchorperson Mureed Abbas and contractor Khizar Hayat, over a monetary dispute in DHA on July 9. He later tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the torso at his apartment.

Zaman’s uncle, Ashfaq Tanoli, appeared before District South Judicial Magistrate V Abdur Raqeeb Tunio, and pledged to pay the outstanding bills of the private hospital for his nephew. He asked the court to allow him and another relative to meet the suspect, which the judge approved. At a previous hearing, the police had moved an application in the court seeking permission to transfer the suspect from the private hospital to a public health facility. The investigation officer said the hospital had given him a notice over the suspect’s unpaid bills. The judge sought a medico-legal report of the suspect’s condition.

Meanwhile, the court also directed the IO to produce the suspect on Monday. Three FIRs was registered against Zaman under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 325 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 and section 23(1)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013 at the Darakhshan police station.