Mir Raza murder case: Deceased's business partner, employees summoned to record statements

KARACHI: A judicial commission formed to probe the circumstances and possible negligence around the Mir Raza Ali murder case issued notices on Friday to the deceased’s business partner, contacts and employees to record their statement as witnesses. Among those who have been issued notices is Ahsan Anis Shamsi, who the commission was told had a 30 per cent partnership in Ali’s eatery, Wafflix. The eatery’s manager, Sherry, and accountant Muhammad Umair Khan were also summoned. The commission also summoned Asad Ali Butt and Usman Buzai and issued an e-notice to Hassan Tanoli, who resides in Australia; the names of all three have come up in connection with Ali’s business. The witnesses were instructed to appear before the commission on Sept 15 and record their statements. Tanoli would be able to record his statement via Zoom/electronic modes, the commission’s order stated.

It added that the bailiff should coordinate with investigating officer Deputy Superintendent of Police Siraj Lashari for serving notices to the witnesses in case their details were not available with the commission. The murder case has been mired in conspiracy, with the 25-year-old victim’s family accusing police of trying to bury the facts and law enforcers initially trying to build the case around the possibility of suicide. It goes back to July, when Ali’s body was found in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar with a gunshot wound, a day after he went missing. Days after the recovery of Ali’s body, Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had told Geo News that the post-mortem findings in the case had raised several questions, as some observations in the report did not appear to match the available photographs. On August 6, a Karachi court took up an application by Ali’s father, allowed the exhumation of his body,…