Family dispute: Man arrested for detaining step nephew

Police say the man was chained, had been starving for days for not tranferring his property to his step uncle.

FAISALABAD:

Tandlianwala City police on Thursday recovered a man from confinement by his step uncle. The uncle was arrested. 

Liaqat Ali was taken to hospital, where he was treated for bruises resulting from beating. Doctors treating him said he appeared famished.

Shareefan Bibi, a resident of Chak 430-GB, filed a complaint with the police saying that her brother-in-law, Ahmed Ali, and his son, Muhammad Sarwar, had picked Liaqat from their house a few days ago.

She said they had told him that they wanted him to meet some relatives. When he did not return after several hours, she said, she went looking for him.

She said she went to Ahmed Ali’s house, where he told her that he had locked her son up in a room and would only release him if he transferred his property in his name.

She said she begged him to release Liaqat, but he did not listen.

She said Liaqat has two children and were his legal heirs. She said Ahmed Ali told her to go away.

She said she continued to visit his house for several days, before reporting the matter police. She said Ahmed Ali had threatened to kill Liaqat if she informed the police. Before informing the police, she said, she also informed some elders of the family requesting them to persuade Ahmed Ali to let Liaqat go, but he did not listen to anyone.

She said on Wednesday he let her meet Liaqat. She said she found him tied in chains. He had also been beaten, she said. She said Liaqat told her to inform the police.

On Shareefan Bibi’s complaint, Station House Officer Masood Aziz, led a raid to Ahmed Ali’s house and recovered Liaqat. They also arrested Ahmed Ali, but his son fled away.

In police custody, Ahmad Ali denied that he was trying to force Liaqat to transfer his property in his name. He said he had locked him in his house because Liaqat owned him money. He said he had been asking him to return the money.

“I detained him in my house so that his wife and mother would pay me my money,” he said.

SHO Aziz said that an FIR had been registered against Ahmed Ali. He said police were looking for Ahmed Ali’s son.

He said Liaqat was taken to a hospital. He said police were waiting for the report of his medical examination.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2012.