Police probe bribery in promotions

Investigator says more arrests expected on basis of revelations of suspect

LAHORE:

Initial investigations into a complaint by a police official have revealed instances of bribery of millions of rupees for promotion through departmental boards.

An officer told The Express Tribune that the investigators suspected that an official in the executive branch of Central Police Office (CPO) had received bribe for promotion from at least 20 personnel.

Out of the 20, two were inspectors. One of them was serving in Lahore police and the other in special branch. Both were in the list of the inspectors under consideration to be promoted to the rank of DSP.

The arrested suspect allegedly took about Rs500,0000 from officials for their promotions.

Further investigations into the matter are underway as the police have taken the prime suspect, Shahzad into custody and are grilling him. An investigator said more arrests were expected on basis of the revelations of the suspect.

Inspector Ali Akbar from Gujranwala had filed a complaint with Old Anarkali police station that an employee of the CPO had minted money from him on the promise of his promotion to the rank of DSP during a departmental promotion board meeting. He stated that his name was on the list for promotions of inspectors to the DSP level. He had been put on the list during 2020. However, his case was deferred.

Last month, an employee of the CPO executive branch, named Shahzad, contacted him and promised him his promotion to the higher rank in the board meeting, the complainant claimed, adding that the suspect demanded Rs1 million for the task. The complainant said the suspect had expressed readiness to meet him at the IGP office also. He said a deal was reached for Rs250,000 and he paid the money.

However, his case was deferred once again.

The inspector then filed the complaint and the police registered a case under section 155C (misconduct by police officers) of Police Order 2002.

Under section 171E of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the punishment for the offense of bribery is imprisonment for up to a year, fine, or both.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2021.