KARACHI: A member of the newly-constituted investigation team probing the death of businessman Mir Raza Ali visited the crime scene on Tuesday as authorities continued efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the high-profile case.
Ali, an IBA graduate and businessman, was found dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar a day after he went missing on July 28. His father has maintained that his son was murdered and has rejected suggestions that the death was a case of suicide.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ali Raza, who serves as secretary of the five-member committee formed to investigate the case, inspected the site in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area where Ali’s body was discovered last month.
Ali’s parents, along with the family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, accompanied SSP Raza during the visit.
During the inspection, the police officer reviewed the location where the body was found and obtained details from the gardener who had first identified the body.
DNA samples sent for testing
Meanwhile, six samples have been received by the University of Karachi’s laboratory for DNA analysis, sources said.
Four of the samples were collected from the deceased businessman’s body, while two reference samples were obtained from his parents.
The sources added that the laboratory was expected to issue the DNA test results at the earliest.
The latest developments come as investigators continue to examine multiple aspects of the case following the exhumation of the young businessman’s body and a second post-mortem examination.
Father sees probe moving in right direction
Speaking to reporters after the visit, the lawyer said the family had assisted investigators in identifying key locations linked to the case and was extending full cooperation to the new probe team.
He said Ali’s parents were prepared to answer any questions put to them by investigators and were awaiting the results of forensic examinations, including reports based on samples obtained during the post-mortem and after the exhumation.
Nasir said the family had repeatedly attempted to gather information from the area in the days following the incident but had received little assistance.
He added that the family had itself identified several locations of interest and shared them with investigators during the visit.
Mir Hussain, the deceased’s father, said it was the first time in nearly two weeks that he felt the investigation was moving in the right direction.
He expressed confidence in the newly-constituted probe team and said the family hoped the investigation would reach its logical conclusion.
Hussain said the family had already provided police with information regarding three suspicious individuals and remained committed to pursuing all legal avenues to establish the facts surrounding his son’s death.
He also said the previous investigation team had not shared its findings with the family.
NCCIA summons 4 individuals
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) summoned four individuals for questioning over an alleged social media campaign linking Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and his son, Rawal Memon, to the businessman’s case.
The agency directed the individuals to appear at its Karachi office on August 13 along with relevant documents, evidence and digital devices.
The development came after Memon approached the NCCIA, alleging that false and malicious content was being circulated on social media to link him and his son to the case and damage their reputations.
According to a complaint submitted through his lawyer, Advocate Syeda Malaika Naqvi, several social media accounts, pages and groups disseminated allegations claiming that a guesthouse allegedly connected to the incident was owned by Memon and that his son had left for London after the incident.
The complaint further alleged that similar claims appeared across multiple social media platforms in near-identical language, suggesting the possibility of a coordinated online campaign.
Memon requested the cybercrime agency to identify those operating the accounts through forensic and technical investigations and to initiate formal proceedings against those responsible.
The summonses mark the first reported action by the NCCIA in connection with the complaint.
Judicial commission put on hold
A day earlier, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said the provincial government’s plan to establish a judicial commission to investigate the case had been deferred at the request of Ali’s parents.
He said that the government had initially decided to constitute a judicial inquiry to ensure transparency in the investigation.
However, the victim’s family expressed confidence in the newly-formed police investigation team and requested that the ongoing probe be allowed to proceed.
The development followed a statement by the family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, who said the parents had formally informed authorities that they did not wish for a judicial commission to be constituted at this stage.
Investigation team formed after exhumation
A five-member committee had been constituted to investigate the death of the young businessman following the exhumation of his body for a second post-mortem examination.
According to a notification issued on Sunday, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amir Farooqi heads the committee, while SSP Rapid Response Force (RRF) Raza serves as its secretary.
Other members include Superintendent Police (SP) Investigation Korangi Qais Khan, SP Investigation Central Anum Tajammul and an officer from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Zaman Town.
The committee has been tasked with investigating all aspects of the case, examining the circumstances surrounding Ali’s death and reviewing the probe conducted so far.
It will also begin examining various leads and evidence collected during the investigation.
The new probe body was constituted on the directives of Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho after the dissolution of the previous committee.
