Survivor of deadly chase identifies two cops in court

The survivor of this past Friday’s deadly chase identified two policemen before a judicial magistrate on Tuesday, but he could not recognise the third suspect.

Three policemen — Sub-Inspector Abdul Ghaffar, Head Constable Aftab Ahmed and Police Constable Muhammad Ali — were arrested for killing of a businessman, Nabil Hoodbhoy, and injuring his friend Raza Imam in a firing incident near the Cantt Station on November 22.

Police presented them before a South district judicial magistrate for an identification parade under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Imam, who is the eyewitness and survivor of the incident, also appeared in the court to identify the suspects.

As per the procedure, the suspects were lined up among dummies in the court and the witness picked them out. Imam deposed against SI Ghaffar and HC Ahmed, while he could not identify PC Ali. Recording the proceedings, the judge sealed the file and sent it to the trial court.

The incident had taken place at around 3:15am on Fatima Jinnah Road as the two friends were travelling in a white car. As they were reportedly shot by police officials, Hoodbhoy died on the spot and Imam suffered injuries. The deceased and the injured were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

Senior police officials reached the crime scene and inquired into the incident. Sindh police chief Dr Syed Kaleem Imam also took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from South Zone DIG Sharjeel Kharal.

The police chief ordered stern action against the policemen involved in the incident. In his statement to the police, Imam said he and Hoodbhoy were friends and associated with an import and export business.

He maintained that they were returning after visiting someone in the Khayaban-e-Badar area when the policemen conducting snap checking on the intersection of Khayaban-e-Hafiz and Khayaban-e-Mujahid signalled them to stop the car.

“We had a can of beer in our car,” said the injured. “The police asked us where we lived and where we were going and then asked us to turn on the light of the car, upon which Nabil sped up the vehicle,” he added.

“The police mobile started chasing us and also resorted to aerial firing to stop us. We made a turn to Fatima Jinnah Road and stopped the car,” said Imam.

“After this the police reached close to us and opened fire on the driver’s side. The same bullet that killed Nabil also hit me. The policemen later escaped while seeing us in a pool of blood.”

FIR No 149/19 under sections 302, 324 and 427/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act was registered against the arrested policemen at the Artillery Maidan police station on the complaint of the injured.