KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Thursday approved a week-long physical remand of three suspects in the murder case of a young doctor that drew widespread condemnation.
Dr Akash Kumar, a doctor at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), was killed on Monday after robbers intercepted his vehicle near Teen Talwar and escaped with around Rs2 million that he was carrying after withdrawing cash from a private bank. Three suspects were later arrested in connection with the murder and robbery.
The three men were presented before South Judicial Magistrate Zahid Ali on Thursday. Prosecutor Abdul Latif appeared on behalf of the state and supported the investigating officer’s (IO) request for the suspects’ physical remand.
Seeking the suspects’ 14-day physical remand, the IO contended that more accomplices of those arrested, including a woman, needed to be traced.
He added that the motorcycles and car used in the incident were yet to be recovered, as well as the stolen money. Police on Wednesday said they had seized a white Suzuki Alto allegedly used by the suspects to flee, mobile phones and three pistols.
Subsequently, the court approved a seven-day physical remand of the suspects. Meanwhile, the IO also filed a request for their identification parade.
The killing had sparked widespread outrage within the medical community, with doctors staging protests at the JPMC, where Dr Kumar served as a house officer. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) also condemned the killing, describing it as evidence of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, along with Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho, met with the family of the deceased doctor on Tuesday to express their condolences.
The home minister and IGP assured the family that all suspects involved in the tragic incident would be brought to justice, saying that the case was being investigated thoroughly on merit.
In a press release on Wednesday, police said that the arrested suspects belonged to a gang involved in robberies and street crimes across Karachi and had criminal records, adding that raids were under way to arrest their remaining accomplices.
The FIR
A case for Dr Akash’s murder was registered at Karachi’s Frere Hall Police Station on Tuesday, according to a copy of the first information report (FIR) seen by Dawn.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Dr Akash’s cousin, Sanjay Kumar, under Sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The complainant told the police that he, Dr Akash and his father had reached a bank at around 11:40am on July 13 and drawn cash worth Rs50m. He said Dr Akash’s father divided the cash, keeping an envelope containing Rs30m with him and handing over the one with Rs20m to Dr Akash as they left for another bank.
Kumar informed the police that Dr Akash’s father was sitting on the passenger seat beside him in the car while Dr Akash was on the back seat.
According to his account of the incident, the culprits, on two motorcycles, accosted their vehicle near the second bank. “They stopped one of the motorcycles beside the window of the driver’s seat and the other behind my car,” he said, adding that one of the men on the motorcycles first fired at the bank’s guard, who remained unhurt.
“Similarly, one among them hit their weapon on the driver’s seat window and fired a shot at me, but I, too, remained unhurt,” he added. They then opened the back seat door and fired at Dr Akash, who was wounded and later succumbed to his injuries, the complainant said.
He added that the robbers took the Rs2m envelope kept with Dr Akash and fled the scene.
He also said he would be able to identify them.
