'Cops' kidnap, rob crypto trader of $340,000

Men in civvies riding a police mobile whisked away Arsalan from his home at 1:30am

KARACHI:

Purported police officers briefly kidnapped a cryptocurrency trader and deprived him of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a shocking crime in the remits of Manghopir police on December 25.

The cryptocurrency dealer has been identified as Arsalan, a resident of Sector 5A4 of North Karachi. As per the police report, five men in civvies arrived at Arsalan's home in Saima Arabian Villas, Manghopir, in an unmarked police patrol van at around 1.30am.

They forcibly whisked away Arsalan to the Saddar Passport Office, where they covered his face, transferred $340,000 (Rs90 million) from his cryptocurrency account to their own accounts, reset his phone, and returned it to him. They also snatched Rs8,000 in cash from his pocket before dropping him near Mazar-e-Quaid at around 4am.

In a case registered by Manghopir police, Arsalan identified the accused as Muzammil, Hammad, Asher, and Zaman, and claimed that they had previously approached him to purchase dollars, which he had declined, stating that he did not deal in foreign currency.

Meanwhile surveillance footage has surfaced which shows a police van entering the residential society, corroborating Arsalan's account. Police sources confirm that evidence has been found linking police officers to the crime, including the recovery of a police mobile used in the kidnapping and a route map that tracks the accused's movements at various locations.

The Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) was investigating the possible involvement of the police officials in the shocking crime.

Suspects arrested

The AVCC on Friday night disclosed the arrest of seven suspects, including a policeman, involved in kidnapping Arsalan.

The suspects include Haris Ashar, Muhammad Rizwan Shah, Tariq Hassan Shah alias Aamir, Muzammil Raza, Umar Jilani, Umar and Noman Rifat. Police sources said that police personnel from the Counter Terrorism Department were also involved in the crime, while police mobile used in the incident is also said to be belong to CTD.