Police versus police: ATC orders police to provide security to kidnap victim

The businessman had been kidnapped by police personnel who had demanded Rs2m in ransom

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court directed on Tuesday the East Zone SSP to provide security to a complainant against eight police personnel allegedly involved in kidnapping a civilian for ransom.

The direction was issued by the ATC-I judge, Bashir Ahmed Khoso, to the East Zone SSP Pir Muhammad Shah on a plea by the counsel of Rao Inamullah. The latter contended that the suspects, through their aides were threatening the complainant and his family to take back their case.

The suspects — police officer Faisal Jaffri, ASI Asif and six other personnel Jalal Haider, Imran, Ashfaq, Jahangir, Shafat Ali and Kafil Noor — were arrested in early April by a special task force of the Pakistan Rangers.

Jaffri was wanted in a number of cases of murder, robbery and kidnapping but had still managed to continue to serve as a law enforcer. He was arrested several times in the past but had somehow been released apparently with the help of some influential personalities.

This time, he was arrested in the kidnapping case of a businessman, Inamullah. According to the prosecution, Jaffri and his aides had abducted the businessman from Sharae Faisal. Inamullah and his driver were going towards the airport when the suspects intercepted his vehicle near the Natha Khan bridge. They took him along, leaving his driver behind.

The suspects made calls to Inamullah's family asking for a ransom of Rs2 million for his release. They also threatened the family of dire consequences in case of non-payment. Afraid of the threats, the abductee's brother negotiated with the kidnappers and an amount of Rs0.5 million was agreed upon.

The family was asked to come to Star Gate on main Sharae Faisal with the amount. As Inamullah's brother went there, he saw a police van parked nearby. He became suspicious of the scene and left the place as soon as he could.

Meanwhile, the Rangers were informed of the incident and on tracing the ransom calls, the paramilitary force raided a 'fake' police chowki in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. From there, the abductee was recovered and the suspects were arrested on the spot.

Later, a special team of the paramilitary force handed over the suspects to the Sharae Faisal police and an FIR was registered against them on the complaint of the captive.

Besides, the judge also extended the physical remand of the suspects for more than two weeks, asking the investigation officer of the case to submit a progress report on the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2015.