Imposters caught taking ‘bribe’ from shopkeeper

Villagers beat, hand over suspects to police

CHICHAWATNI:

Three fraudsters claiming to be an assistant commissioner and his aides were caught by villagers while demanding bribe from a shopkeeper.

The cillagers handed over the impersonators to police after beating them up.

Sources said Muhammad Altaf, a resident of village 9/14L, had set up a petrol shop in the area where three men impersonating an assistant commissioner and his aides turned up to demand money from him.

Local people said Mazhar Hussain Kathia claimed to be the assistant commissioner of Sahiwal, Farid Kathia his personal assistant and Noman Gujjar his driver. The accused are residents of Chak No 109/7R.

They went to the shop in a car and threatened the shopkeeper with legal action, declaring the sale of petrol illegal. Later on, the accused took Rs5,000 from the shopkeeper to not seal his shop. Meanwhile, the villagers gathered at the scene and started questioning the suspects. It was revealed that the accused had nothing to do with the district administration.

The villagers beat the imposters and handed them over to Kaswal police. The accused had allegedly received Rs40,000 from the shopkeeper at different times in the past.

Police said the arrested men had confessed to extorting millions of rupees from villagers by impersonating government officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2020.