Torture allegations: CIA SP doesn’t appear before court

Officer asked to explain himself at next hearing if he fails to arrest three officials.

LAHORE:

Additional District & Sessions Judge Rai Ayub Marth on Friday sought an explanation from the CIA SP for not arresting an assistant sub inspector and two constables.

The police officials are accused of torturing a man in custody who died.

The judge had earlier directed the officer to arrest the three officials and produce them but the SP did not appear in court on Friday.

The judge again directed the SP to produce the three accused on January 11. In case that is not done, the court has summoned the SP for an explanation.

The judge has issued several notices to and non-bailable arrest warrants for accused Assistant Sub Inspector Shakeel Ahmed Butt and Constables Muhammad Ahsan and Mahboob Elahi. The high court has also dismissed their bails.

At the last hearing, the judge had also directed the CCPO to depute an officer, not below the rank of DSP, to arrest the accused and produce them before the court. These orders are also yet to be complied with.

According to details, on January 18 accused Ghaziabad CIA officials –  ASI Shakeel Ahmed Butt, Constable Muhammad Ahsan and Constable Mehboob Elahi – raided the residence of Niamat Ali and took Asif and Amir into custody. They directed others present at the house to bring Niamat Ali to the police station. They said he was wanted in a criminal case. Muhammad Munir, the complainant, says that he took Ali to the police station. The police let Asif and Amir go and told him to come for Niamat after a day. Munir says that the officials tortured Ali during detention. He also insists that Ali did not commit any crime. Munir says that the officials refused to release Ali. They were called a few days after and told to take Ali away. Munir says that Ali was in a critical condition when he was handed over to them and died later.

A case was registered against the officials at the chief minister’s direction after Ali’s family and friends protested.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2012.