Punishment: Cop made to wait for two hours

Petitioner approached high court to seek transfer of investigation of a case, allegedly involving a Rs80 million fraud

LAHORE: Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu of the Lahore High Court on Thursday made a police inspector stand in court for two hours as punishment for not investigating a case on merit. Petitioner Munir Naeem had approached the high court to seek transfer of investigation of a case, allegedly involving a Rs80 million fraud. He had nominated three suspects in the FIR registered with Ravi Road police. The petitioner alleged that Inspector Sultan, who had been entrusted with the investigation, took a Rs225,000 bribe from the suspects and exonerated them.  The judge then ordered the police official to remain in court until he allowed him to leave. The policeman tendered an unconditional apology but the judge did not accept it. After two hours, however, the judge allowed the inspector to leave, directing him to reinvestigate the allegations “on merit” and to submit a report in a week. The court also warned him that he would be sent to jail if he failed to do so.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2012.