The victim of severe violence still awaits investigation on merit

LAHORE: The victim of severe violence still awaits investigation on merit as he is being compelled by the Manawan police to surrender to the accused.

Interestingly, the SP Cantt did not bother even to ask the DSP or the IO as to what game they were playing with the complainant. He also did not call the already terrified victim to see him, though the matter was brought into his and senior officers’ notice three days back.

As per details, one Awais stopped his bike in front of a house owned by one Rehmat Ali of Sootar Mill Stop, Manawan and started honking bike horn besides playing songs on his cell phone loudly on April 19, 2020. The house residents forbade him from doing so, upon which, he started abusing them and rode away from the scene. Later, he appeared with two accomplices, Javed and Khalil, armed with sticks and iron rods and Javed allegedly broke the nose of Rehmat’s son Muhammad Zafar with an iron rod.

The family carrying Zafar with nasal fracture visited all government hospitals but none of them accommodated him. They were told that operations were not being conducted due to coronavirus. The family took the victim to a private hospital on Main Chowk Nakhuda at Misri Shah for treatment. The family had to pay huge treatment charges due to suspension of operations in government hospitals.

The injured Zafar is still in pain and not able to chew, speak and swallow properly despite the lapse of a month. Meanwhile, Manawan police registered a case (FIR No 543/20) against Awais, Javed and Khalil on April 27, 2020, following the recommendation of medical report under sections 337A (III) and 337A (I) PPC.

The investigating officer, ASI heard both parties, examined the condition of the injured victim lying on the bed with nasal fracture and swelling face, and recorded the statement of the neighbours. On the other hand, the accused got interim bails from the court.

The accused party is making the all-out effort for reconciliation with the complainant; otherwise, the court may cancel their interim bails. Their all efforts for reconciliation have resulted in failure. But Punjab police know as to how such a person who is committed to seek justice can be trapped, so that he could withdraw his complaint or FIR.

On May 12, the complainant, Rehmat, received a phone call that he would appear before DSP Manawan Zakria Yousaf. Rehmat complied with the order and reached the DSP’s office in the afternoon on May 13. IO ASI again recorded the statement of the complainant and the accused persons and presented them before the DSP who heard both parties and directed the ASI to arrest the complainant and the accused persons under Section 107/ 151.

Punjab police love to apply Section 107/ 151 especially when the desire of the officer is to make the victim kneel down before the accused. This section is applied when the complainant turns down the requests of people approaching for reconciliation with the accused party.

The DSP’s direction to the IO scared the complainant. He along with a relative reached Manawan police station after Iftar on May 13, and waited for ASI outside his room for at least 30 minutes. Later, the ASI told them that they should be thankful to him as he had yet not registered a cross version against them. When the complainant asked as to why DSP directed you to arrest both parties under Section 107/151, ASI replied that the accused party had filed a complaint against them four days back. However, he did not provide or show the copy of the complaint lodged by the accused party against the victim. “You should be thankful to me as I did not arrest you, though the DSP had directed me for your detention,” he added.

When an officer observes that the complainant is not willing to withdraw the FIR or complaint, he raises the slogan of cross version to bring the complainant under threat. But the question is on which grounds as the complainant Rehmat has already challenged the medical reports of the accused party as well. And all living in the locality know that the accused persons subjected Zafar to severe torture.

If an honest officer looked into the cases registered by Punjab Police under Section 107/ 151, he would be surprised that in most of the cases were registered on the request of the accused party.

In other words, the victim who calls police, tells the details of the incident, provides evidences and eyewitnesses have to spend a night in lock-up with the accused. It happens in Punjab police where money works and police command intentionally stays aloof.

Be it for the sake of humanity or dignity of work, DIG Operations Punjab Sohail Sukhera took notice of police harassment in the name of investigation at a time when no other senior police officer was willing to come forward and look into this matter dutifully.