Shahzeb Case - Doctors confirm Shahrukh Jatoi is an adult

Shahrukh Jatoi being brought for ossification test.

A six-member medical board conducted an ossification test on Wednesday of Shahrukh Jatoi, the prime suspect in the Shahzeb Khan murder case, and found initial signs of his adulthood, although he was earlier declared an underage person and sent to a juvenile prison.

Doctors from different institutions conducted dental examination and other tests of the suspect at the Sindh Government Services Hospital to determine his age.

"The final report has not yet been prepared," said one of the board members. "However there are initial signs that the suspect has reached adulthood. He has 32 teeth along with molar teeth on all four jaws, which is one of the signs of adulthood. The final report is likely to be compiled on Feb 9."

An anti-terrorism court last week rejected the report of an earlier ossification test of Shahrukh Jatoi which had declared him an underage person and ordered a fresh test, just a day after the Supreme Court expressed concern over attempts being made to declare the prime suspect in the Shahzeb murder case a juvenile.

Later a medical board was set up under Dr Farhat Hussain Mirza of the Forensic Science Medicine at the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS). Other members of the board are Dr Ateeq Ahmed Khan of DUHS's radiology department, Dr Tariq Mahmood of the radio department at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Muhammad Taufeeq, the Medical Superintendent of the Sindh Government Services Hospital, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad, Additional Director, Dr Mazhar Ahmed Siddiqi of Oral Health Sciences and Prof Dr Saba Sohail.

"The suspect also underwent some X-rays like wrists, shoulders and hipbones. The board has also sought a report of the previous ossification test from the police investigators and other documents like his passport and educational certificates, which helped him in getting himself declared an underage person," said another official.

EB