DPO upholds SC directive, last absconder arrested
DPO Sialkot Bilal Sadiq Kamiana has confirmed that ASI Waris Ali has been arrested in Lahore.
The DPO told the media that ASI Waris was the last accused in the case.
He said that all other nominated policemen have been arrested.
An anti-terrorism court on Monday had remanded 19 accused including former SHO Rana Illyas in Sialkot Sadr police custody for three days.
The Supreme Court had directed the police to arrest the ASI by Tuesday.
According to the FIR, then Sadar station house officer Rana Ilyas, a sub-inspector and four ASIs showed negligence while both brothers were being lynched.
Updated from print edition (below)
DPO given a day to arrest last absconder
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the district police officer (DPO) of Sialkot to ensure, by today (Tuesday), the arrest of the last remaining of four policemen suspected of involvement in the lynching of two brothers in the district last month.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, was hearing the case pertaining to the lynching of the two boys in Sialkot on August 15 by a mob with the alleged support of police – an incident that the court has taken suo motu notice of.
Advocate General of Punjab Khawaja Harris, Additional Advocate General Khadim Hussain Qaiser and Sialkot DPO Bilal Siddique appeared before the court.
Harris informed the bench that the police have already arrested three suspects – SHO Rana Muhammad Ilyas, constables Mubarak Ali and Tariq Mahmood, and efforts are under way to arrest ASI Waris Ali.
SHO Rana Muhamamad Ilyas, constables Tariq Mehmood and Mubarak Ali surrendered to the police and were taken into custody, Khawaja Harris said.
“Why has Waris not been arrested yet? What are the reasons?” the chief justice asked the DPO. “Is he so influential that the police have not been able to arrest him so far?”
Siddique, however, assured the court that Waris Ali would also soon be arrested – but sought time from the court. The court directed the DPO to arrest Waris Ali by today (Tuesday).
“There should be no concession to anyone, and if you are facing any pressure from anyone, tell us – we will summon them to the court,” the CJP told the DPO.
The DPO Sialkot, however, assured the court that police personnel would soon arrest Waris Ali as they had arrested the other absconding policemen.
The court adjourned the hearing till today (Tuesday).
Meanwhile, Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Gujranwala on Monday gave main accused SHO Rana Ilyas and constable Mabarak into the custody of the police for three days of physical remand.
Rana Ilyas, who fled from the office of the DSP Sialkot, had previously managed to evade custody, but was arrested on September 3. Sources stated that the accused was arrested in an operation conducted in the vicinity of the Iran and Turkey border.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2010.
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