Hina Javed's family alleges 'evidence tampering' in murder probe, seeks NCHR's intervention

The brother of Hina Javed, who was found dead last month, has written to the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR), requesting intervention in the investigation of her sister’s murder case, as the family alleges that the probe was compromised.

Hina, a 45-year-old digital media executive, was found dead at her residence in Rawalpindi, with police noting signs of torture. Her husband and their domestic worker were arrested as Javed’s family accused them of murdering her, while her father-in-law was questioned as part of the investigation. Initially handed into police custody, the husband and domestic worker were later sent to jail on judicial remand.

Writing on behalf of Hina’s family, in a letter dated September 10 and seen by Dawn, her brother Fahad said: “We are constrained to approach the Commission because the investigation to date has not been conducted impartially.”

He claimed the family had “proof of evidence tampering” by a brother of Hina’s husband. “We fear that the truth is being suppressed,” he added.

Fahad wrote that Hina’s family had “a detailed meeting” with police officials investigating the case on September 4, in which the attendees discussed “the flaws in the investigation, the direction it has taken, and its deviation from the FIR” (first information report).

He claimed that the responsibility for Hina’s murder was being shifted from her husband, who was the main suspect, to the domestic worker.

The victim’s brother further said the husband’s brother had been “instrumental in ensuring that the investigation and the evidence do not surface against” the main suspect.

According to the letter, the family was in possession of his voice notes to Fahad and Hina’s brother-in-law Ahmer, which proved that he had “colluded” with the police.

The letter alleged that soon after the crime, the husband’s brother had “cleaned out the accused’s room and the murder weapons, tampered with the evidence, phone logs, messages and texts, and set the stage to plan and place the blame on the servant”.

The husband’s brother had allegedly said in his voice messages that he was in touch with the forensic team, the letter added.

The letter alleges that “the police discussed all aspects of the case” with the husband’s brother and his father, who in turn “assisted the police in gathering evidence that specifically implicated the servant”.

Citing Section 9(1)(a) of the National Commission for Human Rights Act 2012, Hina’s family requested the NCHR to intervene, contending that the “failure of the police to conduct an impartial investigation, and their collusion with the family of the accused” had violated the fundamental rights of Hina and her family.

The letter also cited sections of the Pakistan Penal Code under which alleged offences had been made. These included Section 201 for evidence tampering, Section 109 read with Section 107 for abetment, Section 120-B for criminal conspiracy and Section 34 for common intention.

It noted that “under Article 18(6) of the Police Order, 2002, the investigation may be transferred to another officer or a fresh investigation ordered where the original investigation is found to be defective or tainted”.

The letter requested the NCHR to “call for the complete case record, case diaries and a progress report from the investigating officer”, as well as “direct that a fair, impartial and transparent investigation be conducted into the murder of Ms Hina Javed […] free of any influence from or collusion with the family of the accused”.

Hina’s family further called on the commission to direct that the investigating officer (IO) collect “proper incriminating material” connecting the main suspect, the husband, to the offence “beyond every shadow of doubt”.

They further requested the NCHR’s attention to the police having “effected no recovery whatsoever against” the main suspect.

The letter also urged the commission to recommend to the Punjab inspector general (IG) that the investigation be conducted in a fair and impartial manner by the joint investigation team (JIT). It stressed that the IOs should have no contact with the suspect’s family and that the suspects should not be provided any special treatment in jail.

Hina’s family further called on the NCHR to examine the conduct of the forensic team in relation to its allegations regarding the husband’s brother.

“Hina Javed was killed in the most brutal circumstances. Her family seeks nothing beyond a fair, thorough and impartial investigation, and justice under the law,” the letter added.