Ex-cop sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, robbery

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has awarded life imprisonment to a former cop after he was found guilty of killing a man and wounding a Rangers personnel during a shootout in March 2019.

The accused, Ehsan Elahi, was also convicted of robbery, possessing an illegal weapon, and causing terrorism.

According to the prosecution, two men on a motorcycle were mugging people at gunpoint at Allah Wali Chowrangi near Tariq Road when a Rangers team deployed for the security of the Pakistan Super League spotted them.

The Rangers attempted to apprehend the culprits, but they started firing which resulted in injuries to a personnel and a passerby, who later died during treatment at a hospital.

As the paramilitary force returned the fire, one of the robbers was shot injured and taken into custody. He was identified as Elahi, a former policeman who was dismissed from the service. The other robber managed to escape.

The ATC-V judge, who conducted the trial at the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict after recording evidence and final arguments from the prosecution and defence.

He ruled that the prosecution successfully proved its cases against the accused.

The judge sentenced Elahi to life imprisonment for the offenses punishable under the section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and under the section 7(1)(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

The convict was ordered to pay Rs200,000 as compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased. In case of default, he will undergo imprisonment for one more year.

In addition, the convict was awarded a cumulative sentence of 29 years in prison for charges including robbery, armed assault, attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed pistol. He was also fined a total of Rs285,000.

Two separate FIRs were lodged under the sections 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder), 302 (murder), and 34 (common intention) of the PPC and the section 23(1)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act, read with the section 7 of the ATA at the Ferozabad police station on the complaint of a Rangers inspector.