FIA officer receives a rap on the knuckles

A proclaimed offender wanted in a murder case was released on personal surety.

ISLAMABAD:

The inquiry report on the incident – in which a proclaimed offender (PO) wanted in a murder case was released by Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Human Trafficking Cell on a personal surety – has ended up in just the issuance of ‘displeasure’ against an official involved in the gross negligence.

According to the fact-finding report dated March 15, 2014, a PO – Muhammad Asghar – wanted in a murder cases to Kunjah Police station in district Gujrat, was arrested by Immigration staff when he reached Benazir International Airport Islamabad for departure to Saudi Arabia on March 11, 2014.

After due process, the accused was immediately handed over to FIA Anti Human Circle Islamabad without handcuff for necessary legal action. The Gujrat police were also asked to reach the FIA to take his custody.

The PO was under the custody of the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Cell Inspector Muhammad Jaffer under the intimation of his Deputy Director Nasrullah Gondal. However, inspector Jaffar allegedly released the hardened criminal on a personal surety of Rs200,000 without intimating the FIA director Islamabad zone.

Later upon arrival at the FIA police station, the Gujrat police officials were shocked when they were informed that the PO Muhammad Asghar had been released on bail.

After the incident, a case was registered against the accused Inspector Muhammad Jaffar on March 13, 2014. The said inspector is now on bail while the PO Asghar is still at large and could not be arrested by the FIA despite the passage of two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2014.