A judicial magistrate in Lahore on Wednesday handed over SSP Mufakhar Adeel to police on five-day physical remand in the Shehbaz Tatla murder case.

The court also directed the police to submit a detailed report on the gruesome murder in five days.

When the magistrate asked Mufakhar about the defence counsel, he replied that he did not have any lawyer.

The prosecution argued that they had to interrogate the accused to recover the body and the murder weapon.

However, Mufakhar said that the body had been disposed of.

It is in line with the statement of Asad Bhatti – one of the two co-accused who were arrested earlier – had informed the police that Mufakhar had added drugs in liquor and later killed him by placing a pillow on his face. His body was disposed of by throwing it in a drum full of acid, he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Lahore police formally announced Mufakhar’s arrest, as a spokesperson said Tatla had been killed for honour.

On Sunday, the reports came that Mufakhar surrendered before the officials.

Both Mufakhar and Tatla, who were close friends, belonged to Narowal. As soon as they disappeared, there were reports that they had been kidnapped by unidentified suspects under suspicious circumstances a month ago.

Punjab IGP Shoaib Dastagir had ordered an inquiry and immediate recovery of them.

The childhood friends went missing the same day, which alarmed the police, making them investigate the matter with different angles. Later, it was confirmed that Tatla was murdered but his body has not been found yet.

Mufakhar is a Battalion Commander-I of Punjab Constabulary, Lahore, who joined the Police Service of Pakistan in 2008.