Double loss: Ex-SHO accused of torture

Complainant says he was detained, tortured for reporting motorcycle theft.

FAISALABAD:

Gojra Saddar police have started an investigation into allegations that a former station house officer illegally detained and tortured a man who had approached him for registration of a motorcycle theft complaint. 

An FIR was registered against Abdus Saboor, currently assigned duties at the Police Lines, at Gojra Saddar police station on the directions of a judicial magistrate on Saturday.

Police have also registered an FIR on Basharat Ali’s motorcycle theft complaint which he claimed was earlier turned down by the police.

The magistrate issued the order on the basis of a medical report submitted to him during Saturday’s hearing by Gojra Civil Hospital. The report confirmed that Ali had been beaten up and subjected to severe torture. Gojra City SHO Mehr Muhammad Sarfaraz said a case had been registered and an investigation was underway. He said the accused officer would be arrested if required.

In his application for the FIR, Basharat Ali stated that he was tortured during detention at Gojra Saddar police station by then SHO Abdus Saboor. He said he had approached the police on July 14 to report a motorcycle theft. “A motorcycle I had borrowed from a friend was taken away by some unidentified people,” he said. The complainant said then SHO Abdus Saboor illegally detained him at the police station and beat him up instead of registering an FIR.

He said Saboor had asked him to withdraw the application if he wanted to be released. “I was kept at the police station for three days during which I was frequently beaten up and tortured,” he said. The complainant said he was released after his relatives protested in front of the police station.

Ali said he had immediately moved court against the detention after his release.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2012.