Witness identifies ‘shooter’ in TikTokers murder case

An eyewitness on Saturday identified Rehman Ali, a youngster who resurfaced recently after months of absconding, as a shooter in the quadruple TikTokers murder case.

The witness, whose identity has been withheld, recorded his testimony before a South district judicial magistrate, saying that he saw Ali firing at the vehicle in which the victims were travelling.

The victims -- Muskan Sheikh, Amir Khan, Rehan Shah and Saddam Hussain -- were killed as unidentified armed men ambushed their car with bullets near Anklesaria Hospital in the early hours of February 1.

Police registered a case against Ali and others after the victim families approached them with complaints. They said that Ali had been extending threats to the victims for some time.

Ali was produced in the court by the investigation officer of the case for his identification parade. The IO also produced a witness in the court, stating that he had seen the crime happening and could identify the suspect.

Meanwhile, the court ordered the procedure by placing Ali among dummy suspects and asked the witness to pick the suspect. The witness pointing at Ali said that he was among the shooters who were firing on the vehicle.

The judge, after recording the witness’s statement, sent the suspect to jail in judicial custody and ordered the IO to submit the charge sheet against him in the court within two weeks.

According to the police, Ali had gone into hiding after the incident. He however appeared in a court in the last week of April seeking pre-arrest bail. The court had rejected his plea after listening to the arguments from defence and the prosecution.

The prosecution had argued that there were sufficient evidences, including the call data record, which proved the suspect’s involvement in the quadruple murders and setting him free could dent the case.

On the other hand, the defence had submitted that the suspect was innocent and implicated in the case with malafide intentions. It had sought bail for the suspect, contending that he was willing to face the charges.

The judge had ordered the suspect’s arrest and remanded him in the police custody on physical remand. The police had claimed to find a witness in the case at the expiry of the suspect’s physical remand.

In the last month, the court had approved bail to a suspect, Sawera, who is said to have been involved in the murders too. She was caught after her CDR matched with that of the main suspect.

So far, the motive behind the killings has not been ascertained for lack of evidence. A source privy to the matter said that the issue which led to these killings could be between Sheikh and Ali.

Hussain’s brother Idris Afridi, who is the complainant in the case, also pointed fingers at Ali and other suspects, whose identities have been withheld. He said that he could make this opinion on the basis of the evidence police had shared with him.