- The court is seeking complete forensic records by February 14.
- CM says USB sent under court orders.
- Police are awaiting directions from the court to investigate CM.
PESHAWAR: A fresh controversy erupted in the May 9 case after reports from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and Nadra linked video evidence to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, prompting the court to seek a full report on February 14. The news reported.
According to official reports received from the Punjab forensic agency, the evidence presented in the case has been linked to CM Afridi, while a separate verification report from Nadra has also identified material related to him.
The court has ordered that the full forensic and verification reports be submitted by February 14. The police have maintained that if ordered by the court, they will formally investigate the KP chief minister in the matter.
Meanwhile, doubts have been raised on social media as to whether the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police itself sent the evidence related to the prime minister to the Punjab forensic laboratory or whether the material was sent strictly on court order.
talking to The newsCM Afridi said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had not sent the material on its own. He said the court handed over a sealed envelope containing a USB drive to the investigating officer and ordered it to be sent to the forensic laboratory.
According to the prime minister, neither his lawyer nor the investigator were informed of the contents of the USB. He said his lawyer requested that the material be shown in court, but the judge did not allow it, adding that the material was sent in what he described as an act of injustice.
Sohail Afridi further said that the court asked forensic experts to determine whether the individual seen in the video was him. He said experts confirmed the person in the images was him.
“However, the real question is whether Sohail Afridi has any connection with the May 9 incidents or not,” the prime minister said. He added that so far the police have not carried out any investigation against him in connection with the case.
On the other hand, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mian Saeed said The news that the police had already completed their investigation in the case and had submitted the challan to the court.
He said that after the defense lawyer presented certain material to the court, the court ordered that the USB be handed over to the police. Later, the court directed the police to send the USB to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and Nadra for verification.
The CCPO said both the forensic report and Nadra’s report were submitted to the court and formally formed part of the case file. He added that further action will now be taken in accordance with the upcoming court order.
According to the CCPO, if the court gives directions, CM Afridi will also be investigated. He said it will now be up to the court to determine whether the video and images have any connection with the May 9 incident in Peshawar.
