Escaped officer back in custody

RAWALPINDI:

Iqbal Sanghera, the former Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) who escaped from Chakri police custody, has been traced and re-arrested six days after fleeing. The four police officials whose negligence facilitated his escape have been dismissed from service.

According to police sources, a major breakthrough has been achieved in the case concerning the escape of the former ADC(R) Sialkot, who had been arrested on corruption charges.

A special Rawalpindi police team succeeded in locating and apprehending Iqbal Sanghera, who is now being transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. He had absconded from police custody on 13 November while being transported from Rawalpindi to Lahore.

Sources added that all four negligent police officials were terminated from service after a criminal case was lodged against them. Those dismissed include ASI Zafar Iqbal and Constables Yasir, Ahmed Bilal, and Moharram Shehzad.

Geo-fencing of the Chakri Rest Area — where the escape took place — has been completed. Police have also obtained the mobile phone data of the dismissed officers, which will be reviewed to ascertain whether they maintained contact with any of the suspects involved.

Letters have been issued to Excise Offices across various districts to obtain details of the vehicle used in the escape. However, because the complete registration number is not available, the police are encountering difficulties in identifying the vehicle.

It has been confirmed that the vehicle exited the motorway through one of the toll plazas, and a formal request for information has been sent to the NHA.

Three separate teams were constituted to ensure Sanghera's arrest, all placed under the supervision of SP Saddar Division, Anum Sher Khan. The four arrested police officials had already been sent to jail on judicial remand the previous day.

Iqbal Sanghera escaped from custody on November 13 at the Chakri Rest Area during his transfer from the Anti-Corruption Court in Rawalpindi to Lahore Jail.

A case was subsequently registered against his brother, four police officers, and six unidentified individuals in connection with the escape.