LHC orders case against CCD officials

Released citizen's detention outside jail lands personnel in hot waters

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered registration of a criminal case against officials of the Crime Control Department (CCD) involved in taking a citizen into custody outside a jail.

The court declared that the CCD's version regarding the matter had been contradicted by video evidence and submitting a false report and keeping a citizen in illegal detention were cognisable offences.

Justice Amjad Rafiq issued the written order while hearing a petition filed by Maqsooda Bibi, directing the Okara district police officer (DPO) to register a criminal case against the CCD officers concerned and submit a compliance report to the court. According to the order, the petitioner had stated that the citizen, Gulfam Ali, had been released from the jail on June 27, but immediately taken into custody outside the prison by individuals in plain clothes.

The court noted that closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident and other evidence were available on record.

On the court's directions, Lahore Defence CCD Inspector Akhtar Ali submitted a report claiming that the man had been arrested in connection with a criminal case registered in Okara.

Justice Rafiq observed that the CCD's report was inconsistent with the video evidence available before the court.

The judge held that submitting an incorrect report to the court and keeping a citizen in unlawful custody were cognisable offences warranting criminal proceedings.

The court ordered the Okara DPO to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the relevant CCD officers and submit a report.