LONDON: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has approached the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over what he described as false, fabricated and malicious allegations circulating on social media linking him and his son, Rawal Memon, to the alleged murder of young businessman Mir Raza Ali.
Mir Raza Ali’s body was found in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area a day after he went missing on July 28.
A formal written complaint was submitted to the deputy director of the NCCIA Karachi Zone on August 9 through Memon’s lawyer, Advocate Syeda Malaika Naqvi. The complaint was filed against certain social media accounts allegedly involved in harassment, dissemination of false and malicious content and attempts to damage the reputation of Memon and his son.
Rawal Memon, who is currently in London on holiday, told Geo News that he was shocked by what he described as false allegations linking him and his father to the incident.
He said those responsible for spreading the allegations should be brought to justice, adding that the identities of the individuals operating the various social media accounts, pages and groups were not known to them.
According to the complaint, several posts, videos and statements targeting Memon and Rawal began circulating on social media on August 9.
The material allegedly claimed that a guesthouse in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, where Mir Raza was allegedly tortured and killed, was owned by Memon. It also alleged that Rawal left for London immediately after the incident and subsequently moved around with a bodyguard.
The complaint further alleged that social media content attempted to create an impression that the medical board constituted in connection with the case had been changed “overnight”.
Memon and his political party were also allegedly accused through the social media posts of protecting individuals allegedly involved in the incident and obstructing the police investigation.
According to the application, allegations concerning ownership of the guesthouse, Rawal’s departure for London and his alleged movement with a bodyguard appeared in almost identical wording across at least four different social media pages.
The complainant said the similarity in the posts suggested that the campaign may not have been limited to isolated social media users and could instead represent an organised and coordinated online campaign.
The complaint urged the NCCIA to identify the individuals operating the accounts through modern technical and forensic investigation.
Memon also expressed concern that continued circulation of the alleged material could damage the reputation, mental well-being and personal security of both him and his son.
The application called for immediate action, a formal inquiry and an independent investigation into the allegations.
It also requested a forensic and technical audit of the relevant social media accounts and pages, including examination of IP logs, device information and SIM registration data to trace the individuals allegedly responsible for originating and disseminating the content.