- Identity was allegedly concealed, says chemical report.
- No fingerprints found on victim’s hands.
- Gunshot residue elements detected on shirt.
KARACHI: A chemical examination report in the murder case of Karachi’s young businessman Mir Raza Ali has found acid particles on his shirt and evidence of torture, according to a copy obtained by Geo News.
The report also found two gunshot holes in the shirt, one on the back and a larger one on the front.
According to the chemical examination report, efforts were made to conceal Mir Raza’s identity. It also stated that no fingerprints were present on the victim’s hands.
The report said chemical examination of the shirt found particles of acid, while elements associated with gunshot residue were also detected.
The shirt had two bullet holes, with one identified on the back and a larger hole on the front, according to the report.
A copy of Mir Raza’s chemical examination and DNA reports has also been obtained in connection with the case.
The online cab driver told Geo News that Mir Raza booked the taxi at 3:57am.
“I accepted his ride. […] At 4:07am, I called him. I said, ‘Brother, we have reached your location, please come down’,” said Ehsanullah, the cab driver.
He added that at 4:09am, he started the ride. “He played music of his own choice; he was very calm, very happy. He said, ‘Disregard the location, I will tell you the route. Follow the route I tell you’.”
He said that when they reached Gulistan-e-Jauhar, there’s a slight uphill slope like a ramp. He left him near that place.
Lawyer Jibran Nasir, during a presser in Karachi along with Mir Raza’s family, said the deceased man’s CCTV footage emerged on July 28, after which his body was found the following day.
According to the reports, he said, there was a gunshot mark on the back of Raza’s shirt. He added that traces of acid were also found on the shirt.
Nasir said Raza’s face had not deteriorated due to decomposition but had been damaged by acid burns. He said the body was between 20 and 22 hours old, which meant Raza may have remained in someone’s captivity for up to 12 hours.
Nasir said Mir Raza’s smartwatch was taken from the family on the third day of the funeral rites. He alleged that the SHO had kept moving around with the guesthouse’s DVR. He added that the mobile phone had been sent to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
Nasir said SSP Investigation Usman Sadozai had also been sent to Kashmir. He claimed the killers knew where cameras had not been installed. Nasir added that Raza’s mobile phone may have been hacked.
He said bottles of acid had been found near the Water Board office and that the family had informed police about them. Nasir said the family had repeatedly asked police officials to record the statements of Raza’s family members.
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.
Investigation failures
Fresh revelations emerged about serious lapses in the initial investigation.
Investigative authorities confirmed that geofencing of the crime scene had not been conducted despite several days passing since the incident, and that Mir Raza’s mobile data record had not been obtained. Forensic examination of his smartwatch had also not been carried out.
The new investigation team said geofencing would be conducted on Tuesday and that mobile data record details were being obtained.
Details of a suspected guesthouse had also been collected, and the new team had contacted the NCCIA, with a formal application to be submitted to the agency to determine whether Mir Raza had faced any threats prior to his death.
