Extortion: Reply sought on plea against cops

LAHORE: An additional district and sessions judge on Monday sought comments from the Shahdara SHO in a petition seeking action against policemen accused of extorting money from the petitioner at a checkpoint.  Petitioner Muhammad Abdullah submitted that a few days ago he was stopped at a check point and asked for his identity documents. He said he had showed his identity card to the policemen but they said they won’t let him go until he paid Rs500 to them. He said one of the policemen had slapped him and threatened to take him to the police station on his refusal to pay the money. He had then paid the money and gone home, he said. The petitioner said he could not check anyone’s name because the policemen’s badges were covered under their jackets. Later, he said he had gone to the police station to register a complaint against the policemen. However, he said his request was not entertained by the SHO concerned.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2016.