CIA holds former DSP, seven cops guilty in Bassa killing inquiry

Accused officials will be prosecuted under abetment, murder charges.

LAHORE: A Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) inquiry has found a former deputy superintendent of police (DSP), four officers and three constables guilty in the killing of Aslam Bassa and his two accomplices, Imran and Kashi, in a police encounter.

The encounter took place in March 2007 in the Raiwind police precinct.

DSP Anwar Saeed Kingra told The Express Tribune that DSP Bhalli and a constable have been charged under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (planning and abetting the crime) and four Sub Inspectors Zahid Pahlwan, Muhammad Iqbal, Manzoor and Sadaqat and two constables with extra judicial killing.

DSP Kingra said that these officers misused their authority. He said that no one was above the law and they will have to face consequences of their actions.

Bhalli and other accused policemen were suspended from duties last year after a murder case was registered against them on directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The matter was taken up by the SC on complaint of Muhammad Nazir, father of one of the deceased, Kashi.

Police sources said that the accused officers had obtained bails after the filing of the murder case and were currently not under custody. The police stated that they have submitted an application with a court to prosecute the accused officers.

Fifteen police officials including Nawaz Cheema were found innocent in the CIA investigation.

According to the inquiry record, Bhalli and his team took the criminals from the Kahna police lockup.

Written statements submitted by Bhalli and other officers stated that during investigations Bassa informed them about his accomplices’ location in the Raiwind police jurisdiction. The officers said that they decided to raid the place for their arrest and took Bassa and two others along. Before they could capture anyone, the officials said, they were attacked by armed men. Bassa, Kashi and Imran were killed in the crossfire while the assailants escaped, they added.

The CIA inquiry team rejected the official account and declared the officers guilty of killing the three men.

The families of the deceased had alleged that before the encounter then DSP Imtiaz Bhali demanded bribes from them. They said that the police killed Bassa and others on their refusal to pay.

According to police record, Aslam Bassa was a notorious extortionist and a contract killer. He had been charged in dozens of criminal cases. Kashi and Imran, too, had a record of involvement in several crimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2010.