Sub-inspector accused of trafficking gutka

He was allegedly carrying out the illegal business along with his son

HYDERABAD: After a deputy superintendent of police posted in Badin district was booked for trafficking gutka and mainpuri, another non-gazetted police officer has been implicated by his own department in the same offence.

The Hyderabad police charged on Thursday a sub-inspector, Ashok Kumar Rathore, with trafficking gutka and mainpuri and also arrested his son.

Market SHO Munir Abbassi, on whose directives the FIR was registered, told The Express Tribune that he had submitted a report to the authorities for departmental action against the sub-inspector. Although he declined to share contents of the report, he tacitly suggested that the policeman had been charged with carrying out illegal business in connivance with his son.



The FIR was registered on the state's complaint by ASI Qadir Bux Chandio of the Market police station. Rathore was nominated under sections 269, 270 and 273 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR. The offence under these sections is punishable with up to six months' imprisonment in case of conviction.

The Sindh High Court last year banned the manufacture and sale of gutka and mainpuri, while declaring them extremely injurious to health. The SHC ordered the police to launch a province-wide crackdown against the trade and arrest people involved in the business. However, the manufacturing and sale of these hazardous items still continues in alleged connivance with the police.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Badin police raided the Criminal Investigation Agency centre in the district and arrested two policemen while recovering huge cache of mainpuri and gutka. A DSP, sub inspector and two constables along with a trader were booked in the FIR.