Police official caught on tape taking bribe

The bribe had to be paid to ASI for police help in recovering kidnapped girl.

KARACHI: Express News caught on tape a police official accepting a bribe from a father for the recovery of his daughter who had been kidnapped allegedly by some influential landlords in Sargodha district.

Belonging to Kotli Ali Ahmad, a village on the suburbs of Sargodha, 18-year-old Sakina was returning home from her in-laws when landlords Azam and Tassaduq kidnapped her on August 7. Ghulam Muhammad, her father, registered a complaint in Bheera Police Station against the kidnappers but no proceedings took place.

The police, including ASI Meher Muhammad Shafiq, threatened the girl’s family and asked for a bribe of Rs20,000 for her recovery. Sakina’s brother-in-law Umar Hayat managed to give Rs10,000 after which the girl was returned, two and a half months later, under the condition that Sakina’s family would take no action against the kidnappers.

After Sakina was returned, the case was taken to court by the girl’s family, where she gave testimony against the kidnappers. The family’s lawyer alleged that the police is in cahoots with the landlords and is trying to get the case dismissed.

The case came to MNA Nadeem Afzal Gondal’s attention. “I complained against Meher Muhammad Shafiq to the DPO Sargodha a few days back,” he said. “I informed the DPO of Shafiq’s corruption, but no action was taken against him,” Gondal told Express News.

Responding to the news bulletin by Express News, RPO Sargodha Mian Jawaid Aslam took action, suspended Shafiq and filed a case against him under the police act. ASP Bhalwul Sarfaraz Nawaz arrested DPO Shafiq and was instructed to start an inquiry against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2010.