SP faces registration of case over misuse of authority

12 officials of lower ranks punished after departmental inquiry

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court has issued orders of registration of a case against an SP facing an allegation of misusing his authority by ordering police officials to harass a citizen for personal vendetta.

It had been established during a departmental inquiry that officials posted in different police stations and branches in Lahore had acted on orders of SP Hafeez Bugti on April 18 last year for conducting illegal raids, and arresting and torturing the complainant Sajjad Hashmi, a relative and a friend of his in the Defence and Johar Town areas. The SP was posted in Karachi at the time. 

Four police officials had been dismissed from service and other punishments were handed down to eight personnel, including SHOs Wajihul Hassan and Imran Khan, after the inquiry.

However, no action has been initiated yet against the PSP officer other than a letter sent by the Punjab government to the establishment division to initiate an inquiry against him.

According to the complainant, he had approached Bugti along with his wife in connection with a case in 2020 when he was the SP of Saddar.

After the meeting, he went to his workplace in Islamabad, but in his absence, the officer  took over his house in connivance with his wife. Both men had a scuffle at the residence in 2021, following which he lodged a police complaint.

The complainant’s wife filed a case for dissolution of marriage and he moved a court for the possession of the house.

He alleged that the SP had been threatening him over the issue. He filed a complaint with higher police authorities after receiving a threatening phone call on April 9 last year,

On April 18 last year, police raided his office in the Defence area and the home of his brother-in-law in Johar Town. They allegedly tortured and humiliated him, his relative and a friend.

A case was registered against the complainant in the South Cantonment police station, which was discharged later. He filed a complaint of misuse of authority by Inspector Wajihul Hassan and other officials.

Then Lahore SSP Operations Mustansir Feroz conducted the inquiry and found guilty at least 12 officials. The officials who had conducted the raids conceded that they had acted upon the orders of the SP who was their former boss.

On the recommendations of the inquiry officer, the DIG Operations dismissed four officials from service and handed down punishment of forfeiture of service to eight others, including SHO Wajih and Imran. 

Another inquiry by AIG Discipline and Inspection Shoib Khuram on orders of the IG also found Bugti and other officials guilty.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2023.