SC orders FIR against SHO for demolishing citizen’s house

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday ordered for lodging of First Information Report (FIR) against former Station Head Officer (SHO), Police Station Mirpur Mathelo (Sindh) Khalid Hussain for demolishing a house of citizen through machinery and allegedly looting the house stuff as well.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Yahiya Afridi and Justice Ayesha A Malik heard the case.

During the course of hearing the court took strong exception to not lodging of an FIR against the former SHO in the incident that happened in 2022. The court, while admonishing DIG Sukkur, questioned as to why the police did not file a case even after an inquiry report was submitted as well.

The court was however informed that the high court had set aside the letter of Inquiry Officer. Justice Sardar Tariq Masood however, observed that the inquiry report was still intact even after the high court had set aside the letter.

“Why the DIG gave time to the accused to approach the high court”, the judge questioned, adding that the police should have at least registered the case before whatever decision made in the inquiry. “But here the DIG Sukkur instead of registering an FIR resorted to press the letter of Inquiry”, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood remarked.

Later, the court directed for lodging FIR against the accused SHO under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and take action in accordance with law.