Dilly-dallying: Court orders IG to look into official vehicle’s misuse

A DIG's car was allegedly used to exert pressure on a businessman in a private dispute

KARACHI: Once again rejecting the report on misuse of a DIG's official car and other official vehicles in a private dispute, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah ordered the IG to investigate the matter and submit a report on October 24.

The direction was issued on a petition filed by Radha Krishan, who had approached the court against alleged harassment and police support of a rival businessman.

The petitioner alleged that his business rival, Suresh Kumar, visited his office in Sukkan, Malir, along with armed men in a police vehicle and another official vehicle bearing registration numbers SP-0260 and SP-4175 respectively. He further alleged that the persons demanded extortion money from him, for which they used their official influence.

Krishan pleaded that he and his family be provided protection against such harassment. He also sought the registration of an FIR against the culprits involved in the incident.

Earlier, the court had appointed the East investigations SSP to conduct a fair investigation into the case and submit a report naming the officer to whom the vehicle was assigned. However, on October 4, the top judge rejected the SSP's report, which stated that there was a dispute between the petitioner and his opponent on some business transaction. It stated that a private person, Mohammad Nawaz Chachar, had misused the vehicles to exert illicit pressure on his opponent to recover the disputed amount.

Declaring the report 'eyewash', Shah had ordered the Sindh IG to go through the report and take notice of the incident and 'decide whether the investigation SSP, an officer who does not have the courage to bring facts to the court, deserved to be posted on such an important assignment'.

The SSP had submitted that the official vehicle was allotted to DIG Azhar Rashid of the Central Police Office, who informed the investigating officer that he had been residing in Lahore for the past three months along with his family. He, however, submitted that the matter was under investigation as to how someone managed to misuse the official's vehicle and sought more time. During Monday's proceedings, no report was filed on behalf of the IG.

Taking notice of non-compliance of the court's directive, the chief justice once again directed the police chief to submit his report on the investigation and action initiated against the officials responsible. The IG has now been directed to submit the report by October 24.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.