Police present interim challan in shelter escapees case

Watchman confessed to providing certain facilities to inmates.

SUKKUR: The Larkana police presented on Wednesday an interim challan of the accused involved in 'escape' of three women from Darul Aman on July 1.

Earlier all the accused arrested by the police for investigation, were granted bail by the court. The Larkana Waleed Police Station investigation officer, Nazir Ahmed Mangi, presented the interim challan. The police had earlier arrested two watchmen of the shelter home and four policemen, who were deployed outside the premises, on charges of negligence and involvement in the incident.

The inquiry of the incident conducted by the committees set up by the senior police officers and district administration revealed inside involvement after which police had also arrested the Darul Aman in-charge Mukhtiar Abbasi but she, along with other employees, were granted bail by the court against the surety of Rs50,000 each.

One of the watchmen of Darul-Amman Allah Bux Brohi, who remained under police remand for five days, stated that the in-charge had given a free hand to the inmates of the shelter home and used to take bribe from them in exchange for providing them various facilities.

Mangi told The Express Tribune said that the interim challan of the accused was presented in the court of the fourth civil judge and judicial magistrate. The challan has been accepted and the hearing will begin from Thursday. Since this was a high profile case, he said he wanted the investigation to be conducted properly and had requested the court to grant police remand of the accused. Mangi also confirmed that the watchman has confessed to providing certain facilities to the inmates, which includes mobile phones.

On the other hand, the Sindh High Court circuit bench Larkana, while hearing a constitutional petition filed by the brother of one of the escaped woman Nooran Chandio, has directed the petitioner to file a suit in the district and sessions court to lodge an FIR against Darul Aman management. Earlier, the court had issued notices to the Larkana SSP, the Darul Aman in-charge and the relevant SHO to appear before the court on July 23 and submit a report.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2014.