MULTAN
A police inquiry report has found nine people, including five policemen, guilty in abduction and torture of a businessman.
However, the inquiry report has given a clean chit to DSP Nasrullah Warraich, saying that he was unaware about what was happening in his jurisdiction. This scribe has obtained a copy of the inquiry report No 100-R-DSP/RIB dated 22.02.2017. According to the inquiry report, complainant Ulfat Hussain is a businessman and the owner of a rice mill. He had a business dispute with his partner Attiqur Rehman of Gojra. The dispute developed between them in 2015 and both the parties went in civil litigation, which was pending in Gojra civil court. Multan Delhi Gate police registered a case No 163/15 under Sections 406/420 dated 12.5.15 on the complaint of Attiqur Rehman against Ulfat Hussain. However, the police quashed the case due to lack of evidences.
To it, Attiqur Rehman got another case registered with Multan Lohari Gate police through his servant Shaukat Ali under Section 406 CrPc. The inquiry report said that Attiqur Rehman got a third case registered with Bahauddin Zakariya police against Ulfat Hussain over a business dispute under Sections 337A-2 and 337L-2. The case was registered in the name of his nephew Saeed Ahmad Khan. Later, complainant Saeed Ahmad submitted an affidavit, stating that he was not interested any more to continue his complaint and wanted to take back it. The complaint was discharged on 3.12.16. According to the police report, Attiqur Rehman claimed that Ulfat Hussain is his defaulter of Rs 10.3 million. Attiqur Rehman contacted ASI Altaf Hussain of Bahauddin Zakariya police station for recovery of the amount and he along with a police party and Attiqur Rehman kidnapped Ulfat Hussain from Chiniot toll plaza on 6.1.17 and brought him to Multan. ASI Muzaffar Hussain of Bahauddin Zakariya police station and private person Naveed Shahzad Sial kept Ulfat under tight vigilance at private deras while ASI Altaf Hussain confiscated Ulfat Hussain’s vehicle, his cheque books, cash, a mobile phone and a jacket. Later, he handed over Ulfat Hussain’s car, cheque books, a mobile phone and other documents to his brother Shafqat Rasool. However, he did not return cash and jacket of Ulfat to his brother.
The inquiry report further established that ASI Altaf Hussain after forced settlement of the business dispute handed over Ulfat Hussain to Lohari Gate SHO Ashraf Gill and ASI Habib on 9.1.17. Both the policemen kept Ulfat Hussain in illegal detention for two days and charged heavy amount from him for arranging telephonic talk with his family. SHO Ashraf Gill and ASI Habib also kept Ulfat Hussain in illegal custody for two days. The inquiry report confirmed that Ulfat Hussain gave a blank cheque to Attiqur Rehman for his release on 11.1.17. Later, SHO Ashraf Gill handed over Ulfat Hussain to ASI Habib on 11.1.17, who brought his arrest on record on the same day in a case No 259/16 dated 29.4.16 under Section 406 registered with Lohari Gate police. The police, however, prepared a challan against Ulfat Hussain under Section 512 after interrogation was completed. The police produced Ulfat Hussain before the area magistrate on 11.1.17 where complainant Shaukat Ali presented a settlement deed. To it, the court discharged Ulfat Hussain from the case. ASI Habib Ahmad wrote case discharge report on 12.1.17 and closed the file.
The inquiry report further confirmed that in the light of mobile phone data, SHO Irshad Hussain met Ulfat Hussain at different places during his illegal confinement and pressurised him to settle his business dispute according to the will of Attiqur Rehman. The mobile phone data also confirmed Ulfat had remained in contact with his brother Shafqat Rasool through a mobile phone number owned by Naveed from 6.1.17 to 9.1.17. Naveed charged heavy amount from Ulfat for borrowing his mobile phone. Later, the victim submitted an application to the IGP, demanding action against the policemen and some other people, who had allegedly abducted and tortured him. To it, the IGP on March 30 ordered the CPO to take departmental action against Gulgasht DSP Nasrullah Warriach, Bahauddin Zakariya SHO Irshad Hussain, ASI Altaf Hussain, ASI Ghazanfar, Lohari Gate SHO Ashraf Gill, ASI Habib Ahmad, Attiqur Rehman, Saeed Ahmad Khan, Shaukat Ali and nine unidentified people, besides registering cases against them.
When contacted, City Police Officer Ahsan Younis said that six police officials had been charge sheeted in the case. He said that the inquiry officer had repeatedly summoned complainant Ulfat Hussain to record his statement but he did not appear. Complainant Ulfat Hussain said that he had already submitted his application to the RPO, stating that he had no confidence in the CPO office inquiry.