Meter reader behind bars after nabbing cop

Five FIRs registered linking LESCO employee to rioting by banned party

LAHORE:

Colleagues of a meter reader have accused a police official booked by him for electricity theft of falsely implicating him in cases of agitation instigated by a banned party.

According to sources, an FIR was registered against ASI Ghulam Abbas in Chung police station for electricity theft in 2019. The case was registered on the complaint of SDO Nadeem Akhtar and Meter Reader Tanveer Ahmad was part of the team that unearthed the case.

All Pakistan Meter Reader Association general secretary Akram Wali alleged that Ahmad was taking reading in a colony when Abbas confronted him regarding his role in lodging the FIR and took him to the local police station after an altercation.

The trade Union leader alleged that the policeman had tortured the meter reader and implicated him in the cases of rioting.

Wali claimed that the suspect was on duty during the protests bit he was being kept behind the bars.

"At least five FIRs have been produced before magistrates against him so far to keep him behind bars to avenge the registration of the electricity theft case against the police official," he alleged.

The sources said Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) Additional Executive Engineer Ali Raza had informed the executive engineer of Raiwind division that Ahmad was present on duty from April 12 to 17 and his meter reading snapshots were available.

He reportedly stated that the team had filed an FIR against the ASI and charged a detection bill of over Rs50,000. The investigation officer could not be contacted for comments on the matter despite repeated attempts.

Investigations officer Inspector Ghulam Abbass said Tanveer Ahmad was implicated in the case through an identification parade.