Mir Raza Murder Case: Business Partner, Vendor Not Named in Interim Challan
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: A Karachi court has disposed of pre-arrest bail applications filed by Ahmed and Abdullah, linked to the Mir Raza murder investigation, after police confirmed that their names were not included as accused in the interim challan submitted in the case.
The matter was heard before an Additional District and Sessions Court East at Karachi City Courts, where Ahmed, described in the proceedings as a business partner, Abdullah, described as a vendor, and the investigating officer appeared.
During the hearing, lawyer Khalid Mumtaz Advocate, representing Ahmed and Abdullah, withdrew their bail applications after informing the court that his clients’ names had not been included in the police challan.
The court then questioned the investigating officer directly about whether the two applicants had been named in the challan.
The investigating officer submitted copies of the document before the court and confirmed that Ahmed and Abdullah were not named in the interim challan.
The court also asked about the complainant in the case. The state prosecutor informed the judge that the complainant had not appeared at the hearing.
The court said it would not record the reasons for withdrawal of the bail applications in its order and subsequently disposed of both applications.
Interim Challan Names No Accused
The development comes days after police submitted an interim challan in the high-profile murder investigation.
According to a separately obtained copy of the challan, police have not identified or named any person as an accused so far, despite investigating numerous witnesses and examining digital material. The interim challan contains 53 witnesses, including Mir Raza’s family members, friends and business associates.
Investigators have included provisions relating to kidnapping, murder and destruction of evidence in the case. Police have also examined CCTV footage, call records and other digital evidence, but said when filing the interim challan that they had not yet achieved a breakthrough.
Several forensic and digital reports were still awaited at that stage, including material linked to electronic devices and financial information.
Judicial Commission Probe Continues Separately
The police investigation is proceeding alongside an inquiry by a judicial commission headed by Justice Omar Sial.
The commission has recorded statements from people connected with Mir Raza and has continued summoning business associates, employees and other witnesses as it examines the circumstances surrounding the case.
Earlier proceedings included statements from business partners Muhammad Abdullah and Muhammad Ahmed, an online taxi driver and police officials. Questions during those proceedings included Mir Raza’s business and financial affairs.
More recently, the commission summoned another business associate, Ahsan Anis Shamsi, along with employees and other contacts to record their statements on September 15. Dawn reported that the commission had previously been told Shamsi held a 30% partnership in Mir Raza’s Wafflix business.
Investigators have also submitted Mir Raza’s post-mortem report and forensic material relating to his smartphone, smartwatch and other evidence to the commission. Express Urdu reported that the Punjab forensic laboratory had been unable to unlock his iPhone.
Important Legal Distinction
The latest court development means Ahmed and Abdullah are not named as accused in the current interim challan. It should not be reported as a court finding that determines the wider circumstances of Mir Raza’s death or concludes the investigation.
The challan itself is interim, and police have said the investigation remains ongoing while additional forensic and digital evidence is awaited.
Mir Raza Ali, a 25-year-old businessman, was found dead in bushes in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar on July 29 after disappearing days earlier.
The absence of a named accused in the interim challan means the central question of who was responsible for his death remains unresolved.
