In court: SHC orders action against cops involved in ‘illegal detention’

The provincial home secretary, police chief were cited as respondents.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the provincial home secretary, the police chief and others on a petition seeking action against the personnel of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) who are allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a resident and detaining him illegally.

The petitioner, Muhammad Abbas, said some personnel of the SIU took away his brother, Zahoor Ahmed, to identify someone on May 25, 2012. They kept him in private confinement and released him after receiving Rs20 million.

He alleged that the accused personnel detained him again on January 10 to pressurise him to withdraw a constitutional petition filed in the high court against them.

Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, who headed the bench, issued notices to the home secretary, IGP, DIG Karachi, SIG Investigation and SIU chief to file their comments.

Action ordered

The same bench ordered the police’s senior superintendent to take action against his subordinates allegedly involved in unlawful detention of three citizens within 15 days. Muhammad Akram Umair alleged that his brother, Atif Umair, had married a girl, Mehreen Chandio, out of free will. This infuriated the girl’s family, who allegedly registered a case against Umair for kidnaping with an intention to have sex.

Meanwhile, Pir Bukhsh Chandio, a policeman posted at the Sachal police station and a relative of the girl’s family, unlawfully detained three relatives of Umair. On court’s order, a deputy commissioner conducted raid at the said police station where three men - Sultan, Adnan and Jawaid - were found detained.

Taking on record the deputy commissioner’s report, the court ordered the relevant SSP to investigate the matter within 15 days and take stern action against those cops found involved in the illegality.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2014.