The father of slain entrepreneur Mir Raza Ali has called for the suspension of Karachi East Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Farrukh Ali and the Ferozabad station house officer, accusing them of delaying the investigation and attempting to conceal evidence in his son’s death.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Mir Hussain Ali alleged that the officers had mishandled the case and “played a game” with the bereaved family.

He urged authorities to take disciplinary action against those responsible.

Mir Raza, a 25-year-old IBA graduate and entrepreneur, went missing on July 28 after leaving his home in PECHS, Block-2.

His bullet-riddled body was found the following day in bushes opposite the University of Karachi near Shahi Qila Ground in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

Police initially considered suicide as a possibility, but his father consistently maintained that his son had been kidnapped, tortured and murdered.

Separately, a sessions court granted interim pre-arrest bail to Muhammad Ahmed Bhardey, described by his lawyer as Raza’s childhood friend and business partner.

The court set bail at Rs100,000 and issued notices to the investigating officer and prosecution for August 15.

Bhardey’s lawyer, Khalid Mumtaz, said his client was willing to join the investigation and had previously appeared before police when summoned.

He said Bhardey had approached the court after allegedly being harassed by police.

The investigation is now being led by a team formed by Sindh Inspector General of Police and headed by Crime and Investigation DIG Amir Farooqi.

Farooqi confirmed that DSP Siraj Lashari had been assigned to investigate the case, adding that investigators had questioned first responders, examined the crime scene and recorded the family’s statement.

The team has also sought forensic examination of Raza’s smartwatch and information from his social media and other digital accounts through four letters to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.

The family has opposed examination of the smartwatch by the agency and, through lawyer Jibran Nasir, sought its analysis by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, citing concerns over possible tampering.

The investigation report is due before the court on August 15.