SHC orders action against cop accused of illegal detention

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Karachi police chief to take action against an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) who was accused of taking a citizen captive until the cop was paid off to release the man.

The directive came on Saturday on a petition of one Qurban Gopang against the illegal detention of his son Gul Bahar Gopang and the subsequent payment for his release.

The petitioner claimed that ASI Hanif Khanzada and his driver Waseem from the Crime Investigation Agency headquarters raided his house in North Karachi on September 25 and picked up his son.

The petitioner also claimed that the policeman robbed the family of jewellery and cash. The father said the ASI had received Rs50,000 from him to release his son. The high court had earlier constituted an inquiry committee headed by the West Zone deputy inspector general (DIG) to investigate the allegations levelled against the ASI.

The DIG submitted in his report that the allegation of receiving money from the petitioner through Easypaisa has been verified, while the claim of looting jewellery and cash from the petitioner’s house also seems true. He recommended action against the police officer, who is now posted at the Security Zone-II.

The court directed the Karachi additional inspector general of police to take further action against the officer on the recommendation of the inquiry report of the West Zone DIG as well as submit a compliance report within a week.

The SHC bench also directed the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to file comments on petitions against detention of citizens allegedly by personnel of LEAs.

Petitioners Manzoor Ahmed, Fakhra Alam, Rabia Bibi, Faiza, Mohammad Deen, Allah Wasayo and Wajeeha Kanwal submitted in their petitions that Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Feroz Alam, Mohammad Zahid, Ghulam Sarwar, Shakeel Ahmed, Jameel Ahmed, Abdul Ghafoor and Mirza Saud Baig were picked up by the police and other LEAs from Korangi, Manghopir, Baldia Town, Surjani Town, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Airport localities and their whereabouts remain unknown.

They submitted that police were not making any efforts for the recovery of the detainees despite the fact that the relevant police officials have been approached.

In the detention case of Mirza Saud Baig, the federal law officer sought time from the court to file fresh reports from the intelligence agencies working under the control of the federal government.

Earlier this month a member of former union council nazim Abdul Wasay’s family had approached the high court for his recovery, claiming that he was picked up by personnel of LEAs from Shah Faisal Colony.

Mohammad Abdul Rab submitted in his petition that his brother, a former union council nazim of Shah Faisal Colony, was whisked away from his house on March 27. He said his brother is a social activist and has nothing to do with any criminal activities. He told the court that the LEAs are neither providing any details of charges against him nor is he being produced before any court of law.

Citing the director general of the Sindh Rangers, the provincial police chief, the East Zone DIG and others as respondents, the SHC was requested to direct them to produce the detainee before the court and release him if not required in any case.

A week later, however, the high court issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the provincial police and Rangers chiefs and others on the petition against the illegal detention of the former union council nazim.

The counsel for the petitioner expressed apprehension about the life of the detainee and his implication in false cases, and requested that he not be involved in false cases. A division bench of the SHC that was headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar issued notices directing the respondents to file their comments on May 3.