Cops found patronising gambling den

SHO arrested, DSP suspended; over 100 held in late-night raid in Malir

KARACHI:

Two key officials of a police station were arrested and the area's deputy superintendent of police was suspended for turning a blind eye to a gambling den operating close to the police station.

On the orders of Malir district SSP Irfan Bahadur, the SHO and head moharrar of the Memon Goth Police Station were arrested whereas the DSP concerned was suspended for allowing a gambling den to run right under their nose.

The gambling den was running near the police station and 105 gamblers were arrested during a raid late on Wednesday night. After the incident, SSP Malir Irfan Bahadur reached the police station and registered a case.

When contacted on Thursday morning, he said that Memon Goth SHO Saqib Khan and the head moharrar have been formally arrested in the case while DSP Kunwar Asif has been suspended from his post.

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SSP Bahadur said that the operation was carried out against the police officers for their patronage of criminals. Such people will definitely not be tolerated, he said.

Sources said that SHO Saqib Khan himself had become a complainant to avoid his arrest. However, when the SSP's team investigated the incident, they found evidence of involvement of the SHO and the head moharrar. Both were arrested on the orders of the SSP.

The raid was carried out by Special Security Unit (SSU) commandos. The unit had received information about the den running under police patronage.

Acting on the tip-off SSU conducted successful raid and arrested 105 suspects and also seized 22 motorcycles and other gambling items.

Security Division DIG Dr Maqsood Ahmed said that owing to a surge in street crimes, the commandos are assisting the local police and other law enforcement agencies.

Drug dealers escape from police station

Two drug dealers who were arrested by the law enforcement agency and later handed over to the police, escaped from Kalri police station.

Senior officials were notified about the incident while two policemen were suspended for negligence.

On the night between Wednesday and Thursday, law enforcement agency carried out targeted operations in different areas of Lyari and arrested some people. Two arrested drug dealers Ashraf and Dawood were handed over to Kalri police for questioning.

Sources said that the police did not register a case against the drug dealers and they were not even locked up but were made seated in a room of the police station. Both of them escaped from the police station. Upon learning of the incident, raids were carried out at various places and every effort was made to find Dawood and Ashraf but they could not be traced.

Meanwhile, no one, including the SHO, told the senior officers about the incident and tried their best to re-arrest the suspects but the failure eventually led the officials to report the incident to the high-ups.

In this regard, SSP, Shabbir Sethar said that two policemen Bakht and Nazakat have been suspended for negligence and an inquiry has also been ordered.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2022.