Police misconduct: Suspended cop accuses DSP of being unfair

The DSP has allegedly pressured complainant to favour proclaimed offenders.

FAISALABAD: Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nawaz Warraich on Saturday ordered an inquiry against a deputy superintendent (DSP) for allegedly favouring some men in police custody in Balochni.

Malik Zafarullah, personal staff officer to additional deputy inspector general, has been appointed the inquiry officer on a complaint by Iftikhar Ali, a constable suspended from service on the recommendation of DSP Mian Muhammad Akmal.

The Jaranwala superintendent (SP) will supervise Zafarullah.

In his application to the RPO, Ali said Akmal had turned against him for not favouring some of the men in police custody. He said the arrested men were relatives of Asghar Ali, a reader for the DSP.

He said they had been arrested from Chak 60RB on the direction of the Balochni station house officer (SHO).

“Soon after they were arrested, Asghar Ali called me and asked me to treat them well. He also asked me to keep them in a private place and not a lockup”.

Ali said the reader threatened him with “dire consequences” when he refused to oblige.

“A few hours later, Akmal visited me at the police station and scolded me.”

Ali said he had forwarded a complaint about the reader’s conduct to the superintendent (SP). But, he said, the SP appointed the DSP to look into the matter.

“I protested against Akmal’s appointment as inquiry officer.

This angered him and he submitted a one-sided report against me. The SP suspended me in light of the report.”

The constable said Asghar Ali had told him on several occasions to ask for money from citizens visiting the police station and send him mobile phone balance.

He said recently Asghar Ali had had a fight with the staff of a toll plaza for asking him to pay the Rs20 toll. He said Akmal had protected Asghar Ali from being transferred away.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Akmal denied the allegations.

“Since an inquiry has been ordered, I will only talk to the inquiry officer.” He said Iftikhar Ali “was playing in the hands of someone wanting to malign me”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2014.