Mir Raza case: Restaurant manager rules out suicide before judicial commission

KARACHI: The manager of the Bahadurabad branch of a restaurant where Mir Raza worked told a judicial commission on Tuesday that he believed Raza could not have died by suicide, while giving details of his final days, salary issues and the disappearance of his WhatsApp and social media accounts.

Shahryar Ali, also known as Sheeri, who has been managing the Bahadurabad branch for the past two years, recorded his statement before the judicial commission headed by Justice Omar Sial. Raza’s parents, sister and other people also appeared before the commission.

Ali said he reported to Mir Raza rather than Ahmed and was responsible for labour, timings, catering and other branch operations.

He said salaries had been delayed by two months towards the end of Raza’s employment, adding that he himself needed to pay his house rent and would learn about salary payments through a WhatsApp group.

Asked whether he had noticed any change in Raza because of financial difficulties, Ali said he had not.

The commission asked whether the restaurant was facing financial losses. Ali replied that its sales were declining, saying daily sales had fallen from around Rs100,000 to Rs75,000 in the final days.

Ali said he had called Ahmed after Raza’s death and Ahmed subsequently paid the salaries.

He described Raza’s behaviour towards all employees as “very good” and said he had never witnessed any financial dealings or fights involving him.

Raza’s movements before death

Ali told the commission that Raza, Ahmed and Kazim had travelled to Hyderabad on July 25 for catering work and Raza returned to Karachi the following night.

Asked whether Raza had taken money from him, Ali initially said no, but then said Raza had taken Rs30,000 from him on July 27 before leaving.

Ali said he noticed that night that Raza’s WhatsApp account had been deleted. He informed Ahmed and Razik about the disappearance of Raza’s WhatsApp accounts.

Razik later told him that not only WhatsApp but Raza’s social media accounts had also been deleted, Ali said.

The commission asked whether anyone had told him that Raza’s Apple Watch had been opened and its data retrieved. Ali said nobody had told him anything about the Apple Watch or its data.

CCTV footage

Ali said Kazim had called him to inform him that the guard’s pistol was not in the locker. The guard normally arrived at 6pm, he told the commission.

He said the restaurant’s CCTV footage could not initially be opened on the DVR. Ahmed then asked him to bring a technician from Liaquatabad to retrieve the footage.

Ali said the recovered five-minute video showed Raza taking the guard’s pistol and leaving in his car.

He said he handed the footage to Ahmed.

Ali also told the commission that he had never received or read a copy of the statement he had given to police.

Investigation

Ali said the first investigation team had summoned him on August 3. He waited for three hours before his statement was recorded for about one-and-a-half hours.

He said the investigators had asked him about his parents’ separation and his father’s second marriage.

The head of the commission asked him about the WhatsApp group. Ali said the new investigation team, headed by Siraj Lashari, took his phone on August 17.

Asked about the circumstances surrounding Raza’s death, Ali said he could say that Raza could not have committed suicide.

He said the restaurant staff learnt the following day that Raza’s body had been taken to Jinnah Hospital, after which all his friends went there.