New details come to light in brazen Orangi Town robbery

Accused cops tell court they received directions from SSP, while DSP ordered them to conduct raid

KARACHI:

After the arrest of three suspects in connection with a case involving a brazen robbery at the residence of a businessman in Orangi Town allegedly by policemen, including a DSP, new details have come light.

The apprehended accused disclosed that they were directed by the senior superintendent of police (SSP), while the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) issued the orders for the operation. The accused had seized cash and valuables from the house of sanitary ware wholesaler Imran.

Around a dozen people, including some in police uniform, had raided the house on the night between Saturday and Sunday last and made off with Rs20 million in cash, around 80 tolas of gold jewelry and other valuables, including laptops and cell-phones, after taking the family hostage at gunpoint.

On Friday, police presented four accused, including DSP Umair Tariq, Mahfooz Hasan, Abdul Sattar, and Izhar, before the judicial magistrate for District West. The judge asked whether the police had subjected the accused to torture, to which they responded in the negative.

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When asked about their presence during the incident, Mahfooz Hasan, one of the three accused, stated that they were sent by the SSP, and DSP Umair Bajari gave orders for the action. They collected valuables from the house during the raid.

The judge then questioned the investigating officer (IO) about the progress of the investigation with the accused DSP. The IO stated that investigations were conducted at two or three locations based on the information provided by Bajari, and further investigations are ongoing.

Regarding the statement of SSP Imran Qureshi, the IO informed the court that a session had been conducted. The defence counsel, Amir Mansoon advocate, pointed out that three suspects had been arrested based on Qureshi's identification, yet no action had been taken against Qureshi.

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