Cops ‘kidnap’ three men for ransom

KARACHI:

More and more cases of rogue cops running criminal networks in the city are coming to the fore with the latest being recovery of three kidnapped men from a room on the roof of North Nazimabad police station.

Saleem, Shoaib, and Ismat, who had gone missing on March 23, were rescued by the Anti-Violent Crime Cell police from the roof of the North Nazimabad Police Station in the Central District. According to AVCC SSP Abdul Rahim Sherani, the kidnappers had tricked the youths by promising to give them a cheap black scorpion and then took them to a room on the roof of the police station. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs5 million from their families, and the youths' families gave them Rs0.4 million.

During the investigation, evidence was found that the SHO North Nazimabad Moeed Ahmed and the SHO of the Hyderi police station were aware of the abduction. Meanwhile, the SSP District Central Maroof Usman has suspended the SHO North Nazimabad.

The AVCC police arrested five kidnappers, recovered the ransom money, and rescued the three youths. The police have also arrested two dismissed police officers named Mehboob and Asif and their colleagues Mukhtar, Asad Riaz, and Kashif.

The AVCC police are continuing their investigation, and further revelations are expected.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2023.