Botched up investigation: Police performance is unsatisfactory, says DIG

LHC judge says officials ignored court orders, tampered with evidence.

LAHORE: The Investigation Wing deputy inspector general (DIG) on Monday admitted before the Lahore High Court that his department’s performance left a lot to be desired.

DIG Ali Amir Malik said this after he was summoned by the court in a contempt case against three police officials.

Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had ordered DSP Raza Safdar Kazmi, Inspector Ijaz and Sub-inspector Rizwan to record the version of a party accused of being involved in a criminal case. However, the officials ignored the court’s directions, noted the judge, and also tampered with supplementary statements.

The DIG informed the court that the inspector and the sub-inspector had been issued show cause notices while an explanation had been sought from the DSP. When asked why the DSP had not been issued a notice, the DIG said that the inspector general of Punjab Police, not he, had the authority to do so.

At this, Justice Naqvi reproached the officials for being incompetent and trying to trick the court. "Police officers think that the courts are blind and deaf," said the judge.

The DIG had no other answer to the comment but to admit that mistakes had been made while investigating the case. He also admitted that in this particular case, police officials had “deliberately defied” court orders and lied to the court.

Justice Naqvi said that the case would be “taken to its logical end and you will have to face the consequences."

DSP Kazmi, who was also present, insisted that he had not misled the court.