State within a state?: Suspected extortionists sent on physical remand
Police arrested the seven suspects on Wednesday from Sabzi Mandi area.
According to the police, the gangs were forcing local traders and merchants at the vegetable market to pay extortion sums in return for providing them security. DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD
ISLAMABAD:
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sent seven people suspected of extortion on a five-day physical remand on Friday.
The Sabzi Mandi police had produced the seven suspects, including two Afghans, in front of the ATC after a local court had ordered police to book the suspects on charges of terrorism on Thursday.
The police had arrested the suspects from the Sabzi Mandi area of the capital on Wednesday as part of raids on extortion gangs operating there. According to the police, the gangs were forcing local traders and merchants at the vegetable market to pay extortion sums in return for providing them security.
Two cases were registered against two separate gangs, one local and one Afghani, by the Sabzi Mandi police. The cases named 35 people altogether including the leaders of the two gangs.
A police officer told The Express Tribune that leaders of the local gang — Safdar Siddiq, Tariq Siddiq and Amjad Siddiq — got pre-arrest bail from the court on Thursday. The officer said the police will try to get their bail cancelled and bring them under investigation.
The leader of the Afghani gang, Amanullah, is on the run, the officer revealed.
The Islamabad High Court is currently hearing a case related to extortion in the vegetable market area. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till September 18. The court had also directed police to submit a report on the extortion gangs. The raids on the extortionists were conducted after the court had reprimanded the police chief on the extortion issue.
Police are also investigating the involvement of four policemen for helping the extortion gangs.
Sources said the policemen were detained by the Sabzi Mandi police on Thursday and an inquiry is being conducted by the police for their alleged involvement with extortion groups.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2013.
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sent seven people suspected of extortion on a five-day physical remand on Friday.
The Sabzi Mandi police had produced the seven suspects, including two Afghans, in front of the ATC after a local court had ordered police to book the suspects on charges of terrorism on Thursday.
The police had arrested the suspects from the Sabzi Mandi area of the capital on Wednesday as part of raids on extortion gangs operating there. According to the police, the gangs were forcing local traders and merchants at the vegetable market to pay extortion sums in return for providing them security.
Two cases were registered against two separate gangs, one local and one Afghani, by the Sabzi Mandi police. The cases named 35 people altogether including the leaders of the two gangs.
A police officer told The Express Tribune that leaders of the local gang — Safdar Siddiq, Tariq Siddiq and Amjad Siddiq — got pre-arrest bail from the court on Thursday. The officer said the police will try to get their bail cancelled and bring them under investigation.
The leader of the Afghani gang, Amanullah, is on the run, the officer revealed.
The Islamabad High Court is currently hearing a case related to extortion in the vegetable market area. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till September 18. The court had also directed police to submit a report on the extortion gangs. The raids on the extortionists were conducted after the court had reprimanded the police chief on the extortion issue.
Police are also investigating the involvement of four policemen for helping the extortion gangs.
Sources said the policemen were detained by the Sabzi Mandi police on Thursday and an inquiry is being conducted by the police for their alleged involvement with extortion groups.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2013.