Cop suspended for framing businessman in false case

Policeman fails to read out Anti-Terrorism Act, yet includes ATA clause in FIR

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered focal person of Sindh IG to suspend an investigation officer for inclusion of terrorism provisions in a mobile snatching case against a taxpaying businessman and directed the officers concerned to hand over the investigation to another police officer.

A bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro heard a petition against inclusion of terrorism provisions in a mobile snatching case against a businessman who pays an annual tax of Rs220 million.

Justice Kalhoro asked the IO how much money he took to implicate the businessman in the case. "Don't you have to return to God? Don't you remember the grave?" the judge remarked. The IO told the court that he would say on oath that he did not take even a single penny. The court told the IO not to impress the court by taking oath.

Justice Kalhoro remarked: "I have been a civil judge. Every policeman gave false testimony on oath."

The court inquired under which law the provisions of terrorism were included in the case of robbery. The IO retorted that the robbery took place near the highway, so terrorism charges were added. He said that the case was registered on the complaint of a private citizen. The court asked the IO to read from the Anti-Terrorism Act and tell the court under which clause the robbery at highway falls under terrorism.

At this, the IO could not even read the Anti-Terrorism Act. The court remarked: "You do not know how to open a book or read English and yet you imposed section 7 of ATA. Who do you work for? Are you answerable to God or these men?"

Meanwhile, Khawaja Shamsul Islam Advocate argued that cases are being filed against businessman Riaz Shehzad over professional enmity. When he gets bail in one case, they register another case on the same charge. Bail has been granted in four cases. A case of snatching a Nokia mobile phone was registered in Sanghar on the last Friday of the month of Ramazan. A lawyer is being paid Rs.10 million to punish the businessman.

The court directed the focal person for Sindh IGP to suspend the IO and report back within an hour. The court directed to submit the case report on June 9. The court remarked that the tractors parked in the warehouse should not be moved anywhere without the permission of the court and Riaz Shehzad's family and employees should not be harassed.

Cop killer gets life term on three counts

Rehmat Ullah, accused of killing three policemen was sentenced by a special anti-terrorism court to a total of three life sentences. According to the prosecution, the accused had opened fire on a police check post on the Super Highway in 2013. Three policemen Mohsin, Allah Bakhsh and Muhammad Shamim were martyred in the firing.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2022.