Court police allow trip to home against ‘gratification’

Investigators come across surprising revelations in probe into kidnapping suspect's escape

KARACHI:

A 'gang' in court police facilitates prisoners coming for court hearing to make a short trip to market and even a few hours round of home against handsome gratification.

Investigators probing into escape of a kidnapping suspect while out on a shopping spree on Tariq Road during court appearance have come across surprising divulgences, sources told The Express Tribune.

Investigation into the escape of the main accused, Zohaib Qureshi, due to the negligence of the court police in the Dua Mangi kidnapping for ransom case from Tariq Road began to reveal surprising facts.

The inquiry revealed that the court police had been 'kind' to the prisoners in the past too, allowing the under trial prisoners and convicts appearing for appeals to make short trips of the city. Court police officers also used to facilitate suspects visit their homes under the pretext of appearance in special courts.

Senior Superintendent Central Jail Muhammad Hassan Sehto also wrote two letters to Karachi police on the attitude of court police.

Read More: Police to ‘thoroughly’ probe escape of Dua Mangi’s kidnapper

The first letter was written to SSP Court Police on October 28 2020, and the second to AIG Operations on April 17 2021.

The letter said that on October 26, 2020, prisoner Akhtar Pathan returned from the court alone in a private car. The detainee said court police had allowed him to go home after the hearing.

Similarly, a letter stated that on May 25, 2017, prisoner Hussain Bakhsh escaped due to the negligence of the court police. Prisoner Hussain Bakhsh was also allowed to go home by the court police after the hearing. Despite written complaints, Karachi police did not take notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2022.