Cop ‘demands bribe’ to register car theft FIR

SITE A police official demands Rs150,000 from car owner

KARACHI:

Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) A police station duty officer demanded a bribe of Rs150,000 register an FIR for theft of a car, an official of the precinct told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

When the car owner, Muhamamd Afzal, started to cry and even threatened to set himself on fire, the duty officer offered to book the FIR for Rs30,000. “Otherwise you can go and burn in hell,” the duty officer told Afzal, the official said.

Muhammad Afzal had only few months left till completion of seven-year lease of his sedan. Having paid all the installments on time, he was looking forward to become complete owner of the vehicle. However, on the night of November 16, the car bearing registration number AFL-460 was stolen from the limits of SITE A police station.

Afzal went to the police station but neither an FIR was registered nor investigations started. As per Afzal and policemen at SITE A police station, the duty officer stuck to his demand of Rs150,000 to register an FIR for auto theft. When Afzal threatened to set himself on fire, the duty officer said, “I can give you a favour; give me Rs30,000 if you can’t, then you can set yourself on fire. Burn in hell but no FIR will be registered.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2022.