Re: NAB Officer investigating Prime Minister found dead, hanging from ceiling fan
Forensic report says Kamran Faisal was tortured before death - thenews.com.pk
ISLAMABAD: The forensic report on the death of Kamran Faisal establishes unambiguously that the NAB investigating officer, who was probing the high profile RPP corruption case, was tortured before death. Even the analysis of ligature mark (rope knot mark) on the neck of the deceased showed signs of pre-death and pre-hanging torture.
“All these conclusions are inconsistent with a typical case of suicide by hanging,” a source of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) confided to The News, adding it appeared that before his death, Kamran Faisal was struggling to defend himself from torture and there was a possibility that he was hanged either after death or while he was unconscious.
The report also raises serious doubts about the veracity of the Islamabad Police claim that the deceased was a psychiatric patient and was taking anti depressants as it concluded that no sign of drug or poison was found in his body.
Contrary to what the Islamabad medical board had concluded, the forensic report reveals that the Hyoid bone of the deceased is intact whereas in cases of suicide by hanging, it invariably gets fractured. It also confirmed the ante mortem (pre-death) fracture of right superior cornu of thyroid cartilage.
Although, it is now for the federal authorities to declare whether he was tortured, murdered/fainted and then hanged; or was left to commit suicide after having being tortured. However, the forensic report of the reputed Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) created serious doubts over the Islamabad Police and doctors’ initial conclusions that it was a case of suicide.
The report also found the crime scene was totally compromised instead of having been protected and secured by the police authorities.The analysis of the rope (azaar band) shows that it was not handled by one person. The report found partial DNA of some unknown source on the rope.
The samples collected by the PFSA after the Feb 2 exhumation of Kamran Faisal’s body shows multiple signs of torture on his body before death. The reports show signs of pre-death tortures on the left side of his neck right underneath the rope knot, right upper arm, lower part (just above wrist) of right forearm posterolate side, right wrist anterior side, right wrist posterior side, forehead and left side of neck.
Tthe PFSA report gives the following forensic histopathology examination and conclusion report: “1. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from middle of right upper arm, anterolateral side: Vascular congestion & focal hemorrhages, ante mortem in nature seen. 2. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from lower part (just above wrist) of right forearm posterolateral side: Vascular congestion & focal hemorrhages, ante mortem in nature seen. 3. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from right wrist, anterior side: Vascular congestion seen with extravasations of erythrocytes. 4. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from right wrist posterior side: Vascular congestion seen. 5. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from forehead: Vascular congestion seen. 6. Skin & subcutaneous tissue from ligature mark on left side of neck: Vascular congestion & focal hemorrhages, ante mortem in nature seen.”
About the rope (azaar band) used for the hanging of Kamran Faisal, the forensic outcome reports certain inconsistencies. The report says: “The two ropes of knot#1 in item 1 are not consistent with the two ropes of knot#2 in item 1. The two ropes of knot#1 in item 1 are consistent with each other. The two ropes of knot#2 in item 1 are consistent with each other.”
About its conclusion of “not consistent”, the report said that it indicates that the physical, chemical, and/or optical characteristics of the analysed sample are different from those of the comparison sample or from a unique source.
About its conclusion of “consistent”, the report said, “A conclusion of ‘consistent’ indicates that the analysed sample possesses identical physical, chemical, and/or optical characteristics as those detected within a comparison sample. However, the analysed samples lack sufficient individualising characteristics to identify a unique source.”
About the site of the crime scene, the PFSC observed, “Scene was already visited and processed by different agencies and was totally compromised. All the items were already dusted with black powder to develop latent prints. Most of the room articles were touched multiple times by different persons who had visited the scene before Punjab Forensic Science Agency, Crime Scene Investigation team…”
The report says when the PFSA experts approached the Islamabad Police investigation officer to get the scene-related details, the officer was not available. The SHO of the police stations showed different documents to these experts, including a letter addressed to the chairman NAB in which a request was made by Kamran Faisal to change his wing.
“A medical prescription was also attached with the above mentioned report. This prescription was written by Dr Azra of Polyclinic Hospital, Islamabad. The prescription slip beared ‘Slip number 2334, Dated 18.10.2012. Age 35 y, 1999-was on Cap. Clazia 5mg. Stopped six months later. Well OK. Till last month, C/O Disturbed sleep, Forgetful, Mentally disturbed, Hopeless, Suicidal thoughts’. The copies of above-mentioned document and the medical prescription was demanded but the Station House Officer refused to give it, saying “it is secret and cannot be given.”
Ruling out the possibility of the Islamabad Police’s claim that Kamran Faisal was taking anti-depressants, the forensic report revealed that blood, liver, spleen, kidney and stomach contain no drug/poison. A total of 51 drugs were tested but it is found by the forensic experts that Kamran Faisal was not taking any anti-depressant.
Shakeel Anjum adds: The Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) reported that the ligatures mark found on the wrist of Kamran Faisal was ante-mortem (before death) but didn’t find any kind of poisoning or sign of torture on the body during chemical examination of viscera and forensic assessment of the circumstantial evidence.
The PFSA didn’t make it clear exactly whether it was a case of suicide or homicide, the people engaged in the investigation told The News. Kamran was engaged in investigation into the high profile case of Rental Power Project (RPP) and was found hung from the ceiling fan in his room at the Federal Lodges on January 18, 2013 when NAB officials broke into his room.
The report, however, has been sent to the medico legal officer (MLO) for final opinion and to clear the ambiguity, the sources maintained.The circumstantial evidences left many questions about the mysterious death unanswered. At many points, it is opposing the post mortem report, prepared by a six-member medical board of the Polyclinic.
The Islamabad Police decided to seek help from the PFSA and viscera was sent to Lahore for chemical examination. The PFSA questioned the evidence sent by the Islamabad Police and exhumed the body buried in Kamran’s ancestral town of Mian Chunnu.
After exhumation, pieces of Kamran’s vital organs were examined and later a team of experts visited the room in which he was found hung to collect circumstantial evidence. Investigation officers were also questioned in the process.
“The PFSA used ambiguous language saying that the ligature mark on the wrist is anti-mortem, not postmortem lividity,” a top police officer said. He said, “However, the report corroborated that no poisonous element was found in viscera nor any sign of torture was found on the body.”
The officer said blood coagulates in arms and legs in case of suicide and in hips and shoulders if the victim is killed by strangulation but it was not made clear in the report. He said the report didn’t indicate whether bruises and abrasion on the body were related to suicide or homicide. He said the report created doubts about planned murder in the case.