Two acquitted in Karachi TikTokers murder case over lack of evidence

KARACHI: A sessions court in Karachi on Tuesday acquitted a man and a woman in the 2021 killing of four TikTok content creators, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish its case with sufficient evidence.

The four victims — Ruqayya Muskan, Amir Khan, Rehan Shah and Saddam Hussain — were shot dead when an unidentified attacker targeted the car they were travelling in near Anklesaria Hospital in February 2021.

The accused, Abdul Rehman Khan alias Shooter and Sawera, had been charged under Sections 302, 201, 202, 112 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The case included allegations of murder, disappearance of evidence, omission to provide information about the offence, abetment and common intention.

After hearing arguments from the prosecution and defence counsel Abid Zaman, Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Abdul Hafeez Lashari acquitted both accused for lack of evidence.

Court cites gaps in prosecution case

In a detailed order, the judge said the prosecution had tried to show that an earlier dispute between the parties, allegedly connected to TikTok activity or personal differences, had provided the motive for the killings. However, the court held that this claim was not supported by dependable and independent evidence.

The order also referred to the testimony of prosecution witnesses. According to the court, the complainant acknowledged that his knowledge of the incident was based on what he had been told by others. The judge further noted that the complainant stated during examination that the present accused was not the “real culprit”.

Another witness, who had been waiting for his passenger at the time, described the incident before the court but was unable to identify either the accused or the motorcycle involved, the order said.

The court further observed that when motive is not proved through convincing material, it loses significance in the case. “In the present case, the prosecution has failed to prove motive through credible evidence, and the same remains a mere allegation without and rather adds to the doubt surrounding the involvement of the accused.”

CCTV and weapon recovery issues noted

Regarding the alleged CCTV footage, the court said no technical expert or relevant official had been produced to authenticate it. The order added that the footage only showed a motorcyclist and the occurrence itself, but did not clearly identify the accused.

The judge also pointed to shortcomings in the recovery of the alleged weapon. The order said 9mm pistol empties collected from the crime scene were sent for forensic examination along with the recovered weapon, and the two were found to match.

However, the court noted that a separate case had been registered in relation to that recovery, and its verdict was scheduled to be announced on Wednesday. It also said the prosecution had not associated any independent witness from the locality of the accused’s house at the time the weapon was allegedly recovered.

According to the prosecution, in the early hours of Feb 2, accused Rehman, allegedly acting at the instigation of Sawera, intercepted the victims’ car near Anklesaria Hospital. The prosecution further alleged that because of his estranged relationship with victim Muskan and following a quarrel, he took out a pistol and opened fire on the four occupants, who later died of their injuries.

During the trial, the defence told the court that the legal heirs of three victims — Amir, Rehan and Saddam — had submitted affidavits stating that they had reached a compromise, did not want to continue the case against the accused and had pardoned them.