Justice sought: Family files petition, questions whereabouts of ‘terror suspect’
Alleged aide of suicide bomber released by police yet to reach home.
PESHAWAR:
A petition filed at the Peshawar High Court (PHC) sought the release of Jehangir Khan, a terror suspect. However, the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), in a statement submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Court earlier this month, had said that Khan had already been freed by the police.
On Friday, a division bench comprising Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth issued notices to federal secretaries of defence and interior, inspector general police (IGP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Department of Home and Tribal Affairs and the political administration of Khyber Agency, asking them to submit their reply in the case.
The petition filed by Khan’s brother Ahmad Jan, who serves in the Frontier Corps in South Waziristan, states that his brother was shifted by the police to an undisclosed location after he was arrested on November 20, citing televised footage and newspapers as evidence.
Khan was arrested along with a teenage would-be suicide bomber Bilal. However, during court proceedings only Bilal was presented. The ATC took notice of Khan’s absence and served Peshawar CCPO Imtiaz Altaf a show-cause notice. In his reply, Altaf said that the suspect had already been released. The ATC expressed concerns over Altaf’s reply terming it “foul play” on part of the police.
Khan’s prolonged absence led his brother to file the petition for his release, adding that when he arrived home from Waziristan and inquired about Jehangir, officials denied having any knowledge about him. He alleged that Sarband’s SHO was involved in the case.
The petition further states that it is not the first time that Jehangir has been arrested. On February 15, Jehangir was taken into custody by law enforcing agencies near his house, but ‘cleared’ later by the joint investigation team.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2012.
A petition filed at the Peshawar High Court (PHC) sought the release of Jehangir Khan, a terror suspect. However, the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), in a statement submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Court earlier this month, had said that Khan had already been freed by the police.
On Friday, a division bench comprising Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth issued notices to federal secretaries of defence and interior, inspector general police (IGP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Department of Home and Tribal Affairs and the political administration of Khyber Agency, asking them to submit their reply in the case.
The petition filed by Khan’s brother Ahmad Jan, who serves in the Frontier Corps in South Waziristan, states that his brother was shifted by the police to an undisclosed location after he was arrested on November 20, citing televised footage and newspapers as evidence.
Khan was arrested along with a teenage would-be suicide bomber Bilal. However, during court proceedings only Bilal was presented. The ATC took notice of Khan’s absence and served Peshawar CCPO Imtiaz Altaf a show-cause notice. In his reply, Altaf said that the suspect had already been released. The ATC expressed concerns over Altaf’s reply terming it “foul play” on part of the police.
Khan’s prolonged absence led his brother to file the petition for his release, adding that when he arrived home from Waziristan and inquired about Jehangir, officials denied having any knowledge about him. He alleged that Sarband’s SHO was involved in the case.
The petition further states that it is not the first time that Jehangir has been arrested. On February 15, Jehangir was taken into custody by law enforcing agencies near his house, but ‘cleared’ later by the joint investigation team.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2012.