SHC dismisses initial report, seeks an impartial one within a week

IGP told to appoint an honest officer to investigate the case again; questions SSP East’s posting as SP Investigation

Dissatisfied with the report submitted by SSP East in a case related to misuse of a DIG’s official car as well as another vehicle of the provincial police force in a private dispute, the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the IG Sindh to conduct another inquiry into the incident through an honest officer, and submit a report within a week.

“The SSP Investigation has tried to favour DIG CPO Azhar Rashid as admittedly his car was used in the incident along with a police mobile, but it is surprising that the SSP’s report reflects that nobody knows who ‘misused’ the official’s car or the mobile,” observed chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah.

The direction came on a petition of Radha Krishan who filed a petition against harassment and police support of his rival businessman. The petitioner submitted that his business rival Suresh Kumar came to his office, situated in Sukkan, along with people armed with weapons, and accompanied by a police mobile and an official vehicle – bearing registration number SP-0260 and SP-4175 - where he demanded extortion and used police influence on him.

He sought protection against harassment and registration of an FIR against the culprits involved in the incident. The court on a previous hearing had ordered SSP Investigation, East to conduct a fair into the case and also submit a report naming the officer to whom the vehicle was assigned.

The SSP Investigation submitted in his report that there was a dispute between the petitioner and his opponent on some business transaction, however, one private person Mohammad Nawaz Chachar somehow manoeuvred and misused the vehicles to exert illicit pressure on the opponent to recover the disputed amount.

The SSP submitted that the IO conducted two raids at Nawaz’s residence, in Qasar-e-Naz, for his arrest, but it was learnt that room 14 of the building where Chachar was reportedly residing had been vacant since September 23, while the caretaker informed that the space was never occupied by a man by that name.

He submitted that the official vehicle was allotted to DIG Azhar Rashid of CPO who informed the IO that he had been residing in Lahore for the past three months, along with his family. He, however, submitted that the matter was under investigation as to how did somebody managed to misuse the official’s vehicle, and sought more time.

The court after perusal of the report observed that it was nothing but eyewash. The court ordered to have the IG Sindh go through the report and take notice of the event, and decide whether the SSP Investigation, an officer who does not have the courage to bring facts to the court, deserved to be posted on such an important assignment.

The court directed the IG Sindh to conduct investigation through an honest officer and submit report before the court on October 10.