KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Thursday converted an unintentional murder case into premeditated murder against a paramilitary solider after turning down a final investigation of police pertaining to the killing of a young man.

Raham Noor, a sepoy of Pakistan Rangers Sindh, was booked along with the widow of deceased Shafia in a second FIR of the incident at the New Karachi police station for their alleged involvement in what police claimed unintentional murder of Zeeshanuddin, who was gunned down near Nagan Chowrangi on Feb 28, when he was allegedly scuffling with his estranged wife.

The court had earlier issued a show-cause notice and asked the provincial police officer to take action against the investigation officer, Mohammad Rafiq, in submitting final charge-sheet since April 4.

On Thursday, the IO submitted the final investigation report as required under Section 173 of the criminal procedure code in court. In the report, he charge sheeted the soldier for unintentional murder and did not name the widow of the deceased as the accused for want of evidence against her.

However, the judicial magistrate (central) Fida Hussain Abbasi observed that after hearing the prosecutor, paying full consideration to the facts of the case, he arrived at the conclusion that the investigation officer had not conducted the investigation as per required criteria of law.

The magistrate said that the complainant nominated the widow with specific motive and the investigation officer must judge and ascertain it with due care and caution after impartial investigation and not supposed to summarily declare and submit the report as it was established from perusal of documents that the deceased had two wounds of bullet exit.

He observed that sufficient material as well as statements of witnesses under Section 164 of the CrPC were available to corroborate the contention of the complainant about the implication of suspects, including Shafia, for playing a role in the murder of her husband.

While disagreeing with final investigation report, the magistrate ruled that he took cognizance of the case under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code against nominated suspects in the FIR in compliance with Section 190 (1) of the CrPC and issued non-bailable warrant of arrest for the widow.

Earlier on April 18, a sessions court reserved its order on an interim pre-arrest bail of the paramilitary soldier till April 29.

The first case was registered against the soldier for unintentional murder on the complaint of the widow and court had granted bail to the suspect upon his first court appearance since the offence was bailable.

The second case was lodged against the solider and the widow on the complaint of a sister of the deceased on the directive of a sessions court after she moved the court by contending that the offence was committed on the behest of the widow as she provoked the Rangers to open fire.

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