Scores of capital cops involved in criminal cases

Pindi police show restraint in dealing with cop accused of taking bribe

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI:

Over 100 police officers deployed in the federal capital have been found to be involved in different criminal activities and have been punished for their deeds.

This was stated in a report issued by the federal interior ministry on Friday. The report stated that of the 102 Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police officers had been booked in some 72 criminal cases in the city over the past five years.

It found that some 20 officers were guilty of such crimes that they had to be dismissed from service. Another 14 had been suspended. Moreover, the salaries of another 12 were reduced and several others were penalized. Another 46 policemen were acquitted when sufficient evidence could not be found against them. Another 10 officers are facing a probe.

It added that officers found involved in criminal activity ranged from the basic constables to inspectors. This included two inspectors, five sub-inspectors, 16 assistant sub-inspectors, seven head constables, 69 constables and three others.

Corrupt policeman?

A sub-inspector in the Rawalpindi police has been accused of accepting a bribe from a political party worker. However, the police exercised undue restraint while dealing with their fellow officer even after he had been arrested as the first information report does not even include sections about bribery.

Rawalpindi police said that Iftikhar Khan, a resident of Dheer, said that he was visiting relatives Siyab Khan, Akhtar Ali and Umar Bacha in Rawalpindi. He had parked his car in the Pir Dhuayi parking lot before going to Sadiqabad. Iftikhar said that he received a call from Siyab Khan during his journey who told him that his motorcycle had been detained by officers at the Pir Wadhai police station while the officers there were allegedly accusing him of possessing an unlicenced pistol.

Siyab said that he showed the officers the licence for the weapon. However, the officer allegedly offered Siyab a deal to let him go in exchange for Rs50,000. Siyab, however, told the officer that he did not have that much money with him at the time. The officer climbed down to Rs20,000 and the deal was sealed at Rs15,000. The police let Siyab go but filed a complaint against Akhtar. The suspect was allegedly threatened by the officer to either arrange Rs20,000 for making arrangements for his bail.

Then the accused police officer also took Rs1,000 as fare and Rs12,000 from his uncle in the court before Akhtar was finally released on bail. This upset Iftikhar who called his former political connection, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Amer Haider Khan Hoti and told him the whole story.

Hoti suggested Ifitkhar approach the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO). After narrating the ordeal to the CPO, he directed Iftikhar to take a police officer with him to the police station and give Rs10,000 to the accused sub-inspector. When Iftikhar did so, the officer accompanying him arrested Idrees and lodged a case against him. However, police only registered the case under section 155-C of the Police Order while no mention was made of provisions against graft.