An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday approved the physical remand of Armaghan Qureshi, who is accused in Mustafa Amir’s kidnapping and murder case, for four days.
The development came shortly after the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the police to produce Armughan, ATC No II to secure his remand, following the denial of remand by ATC No I.
After encountering difficulties in obtaining the prime suspect’s remand for interrogation from the trial court, the police approached the high court. The Sindh High Court (SHC) approved all four applications for Armughan’s remand on charges including illegal possession of weapons, kidnapping, and murder. It also overturned the Anti-Terrorism Court’s (ATC) previous orders denying custody and directed the police to present the case before ATC No. II.
Mustafa Amir went missing on January 6 after being kidnapped; his charred remains were later found in Balochistan. The investigation revealed that a dispute involving a girl may have led to his death.
Earlier, the SHC approved the physical remand of Armaghan Qureshi, this decision was made after reviewing an appeal against a trial court’s refusal to grant remand.
The high court directed authorities to present Armaghan before an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) for further proceedings on charges including abduction and murder.
Justice Zafar Rajput noted that some orders appeared altered by hand, with “police custody” still written despite changes indicating judicial custody.
The prime suspect in the case was scheduled to appear before the high court with “proper security along with the case record.” He was brought to the courtroom under tight security, handcuffed, and with his face covered. His father, Kamran Qureshi, was also present during the proceedings.
As he entered the courtroom, Kamran Qureshi looked at his son and remarked, “You don’t look well at all.” In response, Armaghan nodded in agreement.
Qureshi had brought fruits for his son and voiced his concerns, stating, “My son is being mistreated; I brought these fruits for him.” The hearing was also attended by the Additional Prosecutor General of Sindh and other relevant parties involved in the case.
The court inquired about the suspect’s custody status, following which Armaghan was presented before the bench.
Subsequently, Additional Prosecutor General of Sindh Muhammad Iqbal Awan read out the first information report (FIR). He stated that the victim, Mustafa Amir, was abducted on January 6, and the case was initially registered against unidentified suspects.
A police officer from Darakhshan Police Station had recorded the statement of Mustafa’s mother, and after a ransom call on January 13, the case was transferred to the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC).
The Additional Prosecutor General also informed the court that a mobile phone belonging to the victim was recovered from the accused.
The court then questioned whether the accused had a history of being a “fugitive.” In response, the Additional Prosecutor General stated that Criminal Record Office (CRO) documents revealed five registered cases against the suspect, who was also a “fugitive in an extortion case at the Boat Basin Police Station.”
At one stage of the case, the court questioned the reason behind the trial court’s rejection of the police’s request for custody. It asked whether any violence had occurred, to which the accused claimed he had been tortured.
The court demanded proof of the alleged torture and instructed the accused to remove his shirt for inspection. Upon doing so, the additional prosecutor general noted that there were no visible signs of mistreatment.
The court remarked that if torture had been alleged, a medical examination should have been conducted.
The additional prosecutor general asserted that remand was the prosecution’s right and asked whether the accused had reported pain while in jail or requested medical treatment.
In response, Armaghan stated, “I was in shock.”
The court raised concerns about the handling of the custody order, pointing out that it appeared fully typed with a “whito” stamp affixed. Justice Rajput noted that the document had been altered by hand, as it showed “police” written on it.
The additional prosecutor general remarked, “The suspect’s father was present in the judge’s chamber, and I swear to that.”
Meanwhile, Home Department officials clarified that they had obtained the case records from the court and mentioned that the registrar’s position was vacant as the official was on a pilgrimage.
To this, the court instructed, “Do not discuss matters that are not included in your application.”
The court then reserved its decision on the police’s remand request.
Later, the Sindh High Court announced its verdict, declaring the trial court’s ruling null and void.
Following this, the accused was presented before Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) II for remand.
During the proceedings, the court inquired about the number of FIRs against the accused, to which the prosecution confirmed there were four cases filed against him.
When asked to state his name, the accused replied, “My name is Armaghan, and my father’s name is Kamran.”
The court then questioned whether he had been in jail since the 10th of the month, to which he confirmed, “Yes, I have been in jail since the 10th.”
Upon being asked if he had been tortured, Armaghan tearfully responded, “Yes, I have been severely beaten.”
The government lawyer requested a physical remand for further investigation, and the court asked whether the body, vehicle, and weapons had been recovered.
Amid the questioning, the accused suddenly collapsed in the courtroom and lost consciousness. He was immediately laid on a bench.
Armaghan’s lawyer urged the court to order a medical examination, citing his client’s deteriorating condition.
Expressing frustration with the investigation officer, the court remarked that the medical check-up should have been conducted on the first day.
The officer explained that a nine-day physical remand was necessary to complete the investigation.
However, the prosecutor general argued that the accused was in good health, as he had walked into the courtroom on his own, showing no signs of distress.
Ultimately, the court granted the police a four-day remand.
The post Mustafa Murder Case: ATC remands prime suspect into police custody appeared first on Oyeyeah.
