Hashish turns into dates before morphing back into hashish
PHOTO: FILE
In an interesting case of ‘shape-shifting’, a hashish haul recovered by Clifton police turned into dates at the police station, but morphed back into hashish three days later when the chemical examiner pointed out the matter.
SIO Clifton Inspector Rana Latif also wrote a letter to SSP Investigation South to seek action against the Operations Branch. However, the SSP denied any change in “case property” had taken place as the case challan proves it was hashish.
According to a letter - a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune - a case (No. 425/22) was registered under Section 6/9C against an accused, named Wali Muhammad, at Clifton police station on October 5 after 1,150 grams of hashish was recovered from him.
The “case property” was handed over to the Head Muharrar while investigation of the case was assigned to Sub Inspector Abdul Muhammad. On Oct 7, the SI took the sealed “case property” from the Head Muharrar office for chemical examination, while the accused was produced in a court of law to obtain remand.
After the court sent the accused to jail, the IO reached the Chemical Examiner’s Office and presented the sealed “case property” to the in-charge of the Case Property Section, Salahuddin, who opened the sealed parcel in front of the IO and told him after examination that the material in the parcel was not hashish, but dates.
Salahuddin got an undertaking from the IO for his record and returned the “case property”. The IO returned to the police station and registered the whole episode in the diary through report No 13 and informed SIO Inspector Rana Muhammad Latif accordingly.
The SIO immediately reported it to the SHO. On October 10, the Operations Branch changed or corrected the “case property” and handed it back to the IO who submitted it with the Chemical Examiner’s Office.
The report that carries the SIO Rana Latif’s signatures states that an inquiry has been requested against the Operations Branch, so that action could be taken against the real culprits and the Investigation Department does not have to face difficulties in the case investigation.
On his part, SSP Investigation South Asad Raza denied any change in “case property” at the police station. The supplementary challan of the case has been submitted in the court while the final report of the Chemical Examiner has also proved recovery of hashish, he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2022.