ACE team again fails to arrest Sanaullah, says police 'refused to cooperate'

A team of Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) returned empty-handed on Monday citing a "lack of cooperation" from the Islamabad police despite a fresh arrest warrant being issued for Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah.

ACE Punjab said in a statement that the Islamabad Police "refused to cooperate" to arrest the interior minister. The officials also accused the police of misbehaving with them as they arrived at the federal capital's Secretariat Police Station to make the arrest.

“The police did not even record the arrival and departure of the anti-corruption team. Our vehicles were also taken out of the police station,” the ACE officials stated.

The officials further stated that they will inform the court about the actions they had faced at the police station today.

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However, the capital police said in a statement that a formal arrest warrant was received at the police station but ACE Punjab refused to provide the records.

The public liaison officer further stated that the ACE was directed to take the legal route as per the prevailing procedure. However, no clear stand has been adopted by the anti-corruption body.

The statement furthered that action will be taken according to all legal regulations.

“The officers of Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab are requested to resolve legal matters in a legal manner and avoid misrepresentation. Islamabad Capital Police is present at all times to comply with all court orders,” the statement further read.

The police stated that such statements create obstacles in the way of mutual cooperation in administrative matters between institutions, adding that it reserves the right to take legal action against such misrepresentation.

Fresh warrant issued

A fresh arrest warrant was issued for Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah by a judicial magistrate earlier today with the police ordered to immediately arrest the minister and produce him before the court.

The issuance of the fresh warrant comes two days after a court in Rawalpindi issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the interior minister for failing to appear before the Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

In a report submitted to the court today, the prosecution mentioned the developments regarding the implementation of the previous arrest order, requesting the court to allow and make some changes in the new warrant.

The previous arrest warrant had only one address of the minister mentioned, whereas it was requested to add more addresses in the fresh warrant.

Previous warrant

On Semptember 8, Rawalpindi’s Senior Civil Judge (Criminal Division) Ghulam Akbar issued a non-baiilable arrest warrant for the interior minister over his alleged failure to join the investigation in the graft case.

The ACE has alleged that the interior minister purchased two plots in Bismillah Housing Scheme located in Kallar Kahar area at a price lower than the scheduled rate. It further claimed that both the plots were given to Sanaullah as a bribe.

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After the court issued the arrest warrant, the ACE officials reached the Kohsar police station in the federal capital and asked the SHO for a force to assist in the arrest. The cops at Kohsar told the ACE officials that they had reached the "wrong" police station.

Sources said the Kohsar SHO refused to comply with the arrest warrant as it contained the interior minister’s Faisalabad address instead of any home or office that fell within the jurisdiction of his police station.

Subsequently, the ACE team left Kohsar and headed towards the Secretariat police station but received a similar response.

With the warrant in hand, the ACE officials said they had permission from the court to arrest Sanaullah but the police were not cooperating with them.