A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday extended the physical remand of Shahnawaz Amir \u2014 the main suspect in the Sarah Inam murder case \u2014 for another four days.
\nShahnawaz was arrested last week for allegedly killing his Canadian national wife. The incident took place at a farmhouse located in Shahzad Town where the suspect lived along with his mother, Sameena Shah.
\nDuring today\u2019s hearing, Shahnawaz was presented in the court of Civil Judge Muhammad Amir Aziz upon the expiry of his remand. No counsel representing the defendant or the victim\u2019s family appeared before the court.
\nAs the hearing commenced, the prosecutor requested the judge to extend Shahnawaz\u2019s remand for another five days.
\n\u201cWe have to hold further inquiry into the money that the suspect had been receiving [from the deceased],\u201d the officer told the court.
\nThe judge also asked about the number of days the suspect had been in police custody. \u201cHe has been in custody for five days now,\u201d the officer responded.
\nThe court subsequently extended Shahnawaz\u2019s remand by another four days.
\nMeanwhile, the counsel of senior journalist and former politician Ayaz Amir \u2014 the suspect\u2019s father \u2014 urged the court to issue directions to the police to return his client\u2019s mobile phone.
\nHowever, the prosecutor said the mobile phone had been sent for a forensic analysis, adding: \u201cAyaz had told investigators that his phone had a picture related to the incident.\u201d
\nAyaz\u2019s counsel, however, contended that the phone had nothing to do with the investigation.
\nAfter hearing arguments, the judge rejected Ayaz\u2019s plea. \u201cThe phone should be returned once the investigation is completed,\u201d the judge remarked.
\nIt is pertinent to mention here that the court had on Tuesday discharged the senior journalist from the charge of abetment in the case.
\nHowever, the court had advised the police that he may be arrested again if any evidence was found against him, after taking permission from the court.
\nThe case
\nPolice have become a complainant in the case, with the FIR registered on the complaint of Shahzad Town Station House Officer Nawazish Ali Khan.
\nThe complaint stated that on September 23, Sameena called police and informed them that Shahnawaz had murdered his wife \u201cwith a dumbbell\u201d.
\n\u201cMy son is present in the house and has hidden the body,\u201d the FIR quoted Sameena as saying, adding that the police subsequently raided the house.
\n\u201cHe had locked himself up in his room. When they broke inside, there were blood stains on Shahnawaz\u2019s hands and clothes,\u201d the police said in the complaint.
\n\u201cHe then confessed that he had repeatedly hit his wife with a dumbbell during an argument and then hid her body in the washroom\u2019s bathtub.\u201d
\nAccording to the FIR, Shahnawaz also said he had \u201chidden\u201d the murder weapon under his bed.
\nUpon examining the dumbbell, the police found blood and hair on it. \u201cWe have sent it for forensics,\u201d the FIR added.
\nThe complaint further stated that the victim\u2019s body had been sent to the Polyclinic Hospital for a postmortem examination.
\nSarah\u2019s father has demanded that Shahnawaz be \u201csentenced to death\u201d within two to three hearings.
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