Police brutality: Tortured prisoner laid to rest in Sialkot

IG Islamabad forms investigating team, accused police officers to be arrested.

ISLAMABAD: Saadat Ali, who died in police custody after he was severely tortured by investigating officers, was laid to rest in his home town of Kandan Siyan in Sialkot, on Sunday.

The 32-year-old succumbed to heart failure after being brutalised at the Sabzi Mandi police station in the capital, after he was arrested for suspicions over his involvement in the kidnapping of a teenage servant.

However, he was declared innocent after his death.

Senior police officers recorded their statements, admitting that Saadat was not involved in the kidnapping and no evidence had been collected against him.

Taking strict notice of the incident, the inspector general of capital police constituted an investigation team headed by SP Saddar Sajid Kiyani to ascertain the facts leading to Saadat’s death.

On Sunday, a police team was tasked with arresting three constables who were allegedly involved in the torture along with the investigation officer, Gul Khan. Khan has already been taken into physical remand by the police and is being interrogated for his involvement in the heinous crime.

The SP, ASP and SHO of the police station, who had been named in the original FIR filed in Saadat’s death have not been arrested so far.

An officer, closely associated with the investigation into the torture case revealed that “the SP and the SHO were not present at the time of the incident.

They were booked in the FIR into Saadat’s death in a hurry and their names would be removed.”

A source requesting anonymity said the main suspect was investigation officer Khan who hit Saadat during the interrogation.

“No one tortured him a lot but Saadat could not take it. His blood pressure suddenly fell after a few thrashes.

“He was given tablets by the investigation officer but he did not revive,” said the source.

Majid Ali, who is the victim’s brother, revealed that Khan had contacted the family and had given his assurance for stating the facts into why Saadat was tortured even though police officers believed he was innocent. “He said he wants a compromise and is ready to reveal everything,” said Majid.

Police officials have now booked the complainants in the kidnapping case as suspects in Saadat’s death.

Investigating officers said that they had raided the Gujranwala residence of the deputy director of water and sanitation agency from whose temporary residence in Islamabad the teenage boy had gone missing.

Officers are also seeking the arrest of the two teenage sons of the deputy director, who were living at the Islamabad residence. They suspect that the boys are concealing some facts from the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2012.