–Shahid Masood has claimed that suspected serial killer Imran Ali is member of international pornography ring, maintains 37 FC bank accounts
–Submits names of a Punjab minister and another influential man in SC, fears for life of suspect
–SC orders Punjab IG to ensure suspect’s security, as Punjab CM forms committee to look into anchorperson’s claims
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court summoned television anchorperson Shahid Masood on Thursday to explain the details he had revealed regarding the key suspect in Zainab’s rape and murder case during his late-night show.
Masood, in his show that aired late Wednesday night, alleged that Zainab’s suspected rapist and murderer was a member of an international pornography gang which also allegedly includes a Punjab minister. He further stated that the suspect in custody for the murder of Zainab and other children is not is not as simple as he seems rather, he is a “member of an international ring”.
The anchorperson further stated that the suspect has 37 foreign currency bank accounts and the backing of one of the country’s most important person and a minister.
Shahid Masood, after being questioned on the evidence behind his allegations, submitted the details of the suspect’s 37 bank accounts to the court.
CJP upon hearing this asked Shahid Masood to write down the names of the officials he alleged were an accomplice to the crime and assured him the names would be kept secret until the investigation is complete.
“If these accusations are incorrect, it will not be good,” the CJP warned.
The three-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, watched footage of Masood’s TV show in court and asked Punjab Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan and a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the evidence provided by the anchorperson
Punjab Additional Advocate General Asma Hamid was also present in the court during Thursday’s hearing and informed the judges that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a six-member team after Shahid Masood’s show was aired.
Meanwhile, a notification issued by the Punjab Home Department added two members to the existing JIT investigating the case, in light of new revelations. The two new members would be a senior officer of the State Bank of Pakistan and a director of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA).
Masood told the court that the Kasur incident has come under discussion all over the world, and the CJP, army chief, prime minister and other top officials should ensure the matter is investigated.
The anchorperson also raised concerns over the security of the suspect, saying he feared the possibility that he would be killed in police custody. He asked that the suspect be kept in the custody of an intelligence agency.
“The matter of the suspect’s security is very important,” the CJP said, adding that the responsibility to ensure his security in police custody is the IGP’s.
“The suspect’s security should be foolproof,” the CJP asserted.
The case was adjourned until Monday.
KEY SUSPECT ARRESTED:
Earlier, on Tuesday, addressing a press conference in Lahore, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally announced the arrest of the key suspect in the gruesome rape and murder case of seven-year-old Zainab.
“Zainab’s suspected murderer and rapist is a 24-year-old man named Imran Ali,” CM Shehbaz announced.
According to details, DNA samples of Imran Ali were sent to Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) in Lahore along with 1,050 other samples that were taken over the course of the investigations. Report from PFSA confirmed that Imran’s DNA sample matched with the traces that were collected from Zainab’s body.
Furthermore, according to police, the suspect confessed to carrying out the heinous crime, and a polygraph test was also conducted which came positive, following which the criminal has been shifted to an undisclosed location.
The killer has reportedly told police that “djinn” is responsible for the rapes and murder of little girls, essentially saying that he was possessed by an entity.
It was revealed that Imran was initially booked on suspicion of involvement in the rape and murder of Zainab but was later released after his DNA samples were collected by the police. It was only after PFSA confirmed the matching of the DNA samples that he was rearrested on January 20 from Pakpattan.
Additionally, according to reports, Imran had shaved his beard after the incident which helped him evade arrest till now as the CCTV footage showed a man sporting a beard.