Bribe over bounty: Wanted man released

Case registered against cops accused of freeing the criminal for a bribe.

FAISALABAD:

Madina Town police released a wanted criminal on Monday, The Express Tribune has learnt.

City Police Officer (CPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana has ordered an inquiry against former Madina Town SHO Mian Mohammad Abid and ASI Arslan Bari, incharge of the post. Bari has been arrested and a case registered against the officers for taking a bribe. Sources in Faisalabad police told The Tribune that Anwar alias Roda, a resident of Phalani village, was arrested in a raid by Bari in Khurarianwala on Saturday night. Police had recovered heroin packets and five mobile phone SIMS from his possession. He was wanted for killing five members of a family in a murder case in Khurianwala two years ago when police set a Rs500,000 bounty on him.

Speaking to The Tribune, ASI Bari said, “I did not know he was wanted. We caught him at a narcotics den. I thought he was one of the addicts.”

He said that when arrested the man looked quite unwell.

He said that he informed his senior about his poor health and suggested that it would be better to release him. “A case for death in custody would have been registered against me if he had died in police custody,” he said.

He said that learnt later that the man was suspected to have killed five people over a property dispute in 2010 in Khurarianwala. “Had I known the facts earlier, I would not have released him,” he said.

Madina Town SHO Hafiz Irfan Ahmad said that a complaint has been registered against the police officer.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2012.