Hina Javed Murder Case: Police Begin Recording Statements of Officers, Staff and Other Relevant Persons

RAWALPINDI: Investigation into the murder of Hina Javed is continuing, with the investigative team beginning to record statements of police officers, personnel and other relevant individuals who were present at the crime scene from the time the incident was reported until Hina Javed’s body was recovered, evidence was collected and the body was shifted to hospital for autopsy.

A senior police officer described the Hina Javed murder case as a high-profile case similar to the Noor Mukadam case, saying that even if the case were not high-profile, investigators would not overlook the smallest detail or point in a murder investigation.

The officer said the investigation was being conducted with great caution, taking every aspect into consideration. He added that such cases rely heavily on forensic evidence, and the police were awaiting all forensic reports, including DNA results, which would significantly assist in reaching a conclusion.

Experts from the prosecution branch have also been taken on board at the police’s request to ensure that there are no shortcomings in the investigation or the final challan.

Hina Javed’s husband, Faisal Asghar Imam, and employee Zeeshan Arshad remained in police custody on 10-day remand during the investigation. Both suspects were subsequently sent on judicial remand and are currently detained at Adiala Central Jail. The arrest of the third accused named in the FIR, Hina Javed’s father-in-law Asghar Fayyaz Imam, has remained pending since the beginning of the case.

A special investigation team headed by SSP Investigation Saifullah is supervising the probe.

According to sources, investigators have started recording separate statements from police personnel regarding how the incident was reported, who informed the police, when officers arrived at the scene, what they observed and who was present there. Statements are also being recorded about the reactions and statements of people present in the house when Hina’s body was discovered, as well as the collection of evidence and the shifting of the body for post-mortem.

The investigation team first summoned personnel from Police Post Tariqabad, who received the initial information, followed by the ASI who reached the scene and other officers and personnel who arrived later. Their statements were recorded separately.

According to the police personnel, they were informed by Hina Javed’s father-in-law that thieves had entered the house. When police reached the scene, the locks and handles of the doors were found broken. A domestic employee present at the location allegedly told police that one person had fled outside while another was still inside. When police entered, Hina Javed’s body was recovered from the bathroom.

During questioning, Hina’s father-in-law reportedly told investigators that his son and daughter-in-law Hina Javed lived in the apartment, while an employee slept in one section of the residence. He said the upper apartment was occupied by him and his wife, who was seriously ill and bedridden and had a female caregiver.

Meanwhile, forensic evidence collected from the scene included Hina Javed’s clothes, the cloth allegedly used to tie her hands behind her back, the cloth placed over her face, and the wire allegedly used to tie her body to the bathroom shower. Blood samples from the floor, mobile phones belonging to household members and fingerprints collected from various objects and locations inside the house were also secured.

Around 19 parcels of evidence were prepared and sent for forensic examination.

Police have also conducted DNA, polygraph and other necessary tests of Hina Javed’s father-in-law, husband and employee.

A senior Rawalpindi police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the investigation was being conducted with extreme caution and that every possible angle was being examined. He reiterated that forensic analysis would play a crucial role in determining the facts of the case.

The officer said the high-level investigation team constituted under the supervision of the SSP Investigation was not only overseeing the probe but also providing input wherever required. The police had also requested the induction of prosecutors into the investigation team to ensure that no legal or procedural shortcomings remained when the challan was prepared.