Police accused of facilitating land grabbing

LAHORE: A citizen has accused the Kamoke police in Gujranwala district of facilitating land grabbing in sheer violation of court orders besides flouting the strict directions of the CPO Gujranwala.

The complainant contacted Punjab Police’s help centre 8787 and also made calls at Rescue 15 but local police instead of responding to the emergency calls, the SHO and his team started hurling life threats to the victims. The victim, Irfan, talking to The News on Tuesday, said that he bought 18 marla land in Khan Town in the limits of Kamoke Sadr police in 2015 from his neighbour Akram Sheikh.

He got registered deal at the stamp paper and paid Rs 25,50,000 out of total Rs 28,00,000. He said he got possession of the land and installed utility meters and water pump. The seller of the land promised to give him registry after settling issues of inheritance with his siblings. Unfortunately, Akram died in 2018, following which, Irfan deposited remaining amount of Rs 250,000 in the National Bank.

The victim party also filed civil suit in the court as another person named Ijaz had got registered the same land in his name from other siblings of deceased Akram. The case proceedings were underway but Ijaz started attempts to grab the land. He made three failed attempts following which the complainant, Irfan, took stay order from the court.

The next hearing of the stay order was fixed June 04, 2021 and police were asked to maintain status quo. However, on May 08, 2021 at around 11am, at least 150 persons armed with sophisticated weapons and clubs reached the disputed plot and started construction there.

The victim approached CPO Gujranwala Sarfraz Falki who ordered SP Abdul Wahab to look into the matter. The SP got the work stopped Saturday night. On Sunday, the SP also visited DSP City Circle Kamoke office and looked into the matter. The complainant has alleged that SHO Rana Sarwar and DSP Hashim Gujjar were in hand in glove with accused person Ijaz, and they misguided the SP about the current possession of the land. DSP Gujjar allegedly threatened Irfan that if he made calls at Rescue 15, he would register a number of FIRs against him. The two police officials deny the allegations against them. Again on Monday morning, at least 40 armed persons reached the site along with labourers and masons, and started construction work with impunity.

The construction work is still under way day and night with floodlights. The complainant tries to call police but gets no response.

The complainant alleged the police registered a ‘fake’ FIR, No. 313/21, against the complainant under various sections of law, accusing him (Irfan) and his brothers of stopping the construction work and giving death threats. It is interesting to mention here that the SP himself had stopped construction work to maintain status quo on Saturday, but the same police registered an FIR the same day against complainant to keep him and his family away from pursuing the case in court and police station.

It is also irony of the fact that Afzaal, the third brother of victim Irfan, was sitting in Aetekaf and he has also been nominated in the FIR. The complainant has appealed to the chief justice of Lahore High Court, chief minister and inspector general of police Punjab to take notice of the incident and help provide justice to the victim.

Gujranwala CPO Sarfraz Falki talking to The News said that he had assigned SP Abdul Wahab to call both parties at his office and ensure justice.

He added he would ask him again to implement court order in its true spirit. He said strict action will be taken against the SHO and DSP if they were found guilty.