The family of the late businessman Mir Raza Ali has expressed strong opposition to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) conducting a forensic examination of his smartwatch. Instead, they have requested that the device be analyzed by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA).
Mir Raza Ali, an IBA graduate and entrepreneur, was discovered dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he went missing on July 28. His father has consistently maintained that his son’s death was a homicide, dismissing any claims suggesting it was a suicide.
Lawyer Jibran Nasir, representing the family, revealed that the smartwatch had been in the custody of the former committee head for several days before it was handed over to the NCCIA on Wednesday. Nasir emphasized the family’s preference for the PFSA, a Lahore-based institution under the Punjab Home Department, to conduct the forensic analysis rather than the NCCIA.
Concerns about potential tampering were also raised by Nasir, given the smartwatch’s extended possession by the former committee head prior to its submission to authorities.
Meanwhile, a newly formed investigation team led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amir Farooqi has taken charge of the case. The team has sent four separate letters to the NCCIA requesting a forensic examination of the smartwatch. Additionally, they have sought access to Ali’s social media and other digital accounts as part of their inquiry.
The investigation team is scheduled to hold its second meeting at Ferozabad police station. Following this, they plan to revisit the crime scene to further their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ali’s death.
