Four cops suspended over short-term ransom kidnapping

The Sindh police chief has suspended four police officials for their alleged involvement in a short-term kidnapping in Karachi two days before Eidul Fitr. The suspended officials belong to the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC), the Shah Latif Town police station and the Korangi police station.

Police sources said the incident took place in the Shah Latif area, where three young men — Shafiq, Sarfaraz and Nadeem — were allegedly abducted from a warehouse. The kidnappers were identified as Police Constable Imam Bakhsh Zardari of the AVCC, PC Shakeel Jutt and PC Khawar Malik of the Shah Latif Town police station, and PC Iftikhar of the Korangi police station.

The abducted individuals were reportedly held for ransom. PC Subhanullah of the Shah Latif police station managed to secure his brother Shafiq’s release from the captors. The other two victims were also released the following day.

After gaining his freedom, Sarfaraz approached senior police officers and detailed the entire episode. Upon verification of evidence suggesting the involvement of police officials in the ransom kidnapping scheme, the police chief suspended all four officials, who have been transferred to the Police Headquarters, Garden, pending further inquiry.

It has been claimed that the suspended officials are attempting to exert influence to suppress the matter. Notably, a case has been filed at the Steel Town police station against PC Subhanullah, the whistleblower and victim Shafiq’s brother.

PC Subhanullah’s video statement has surfaced, in which he claims that a fake case of extortion involving Rs50,000 was lodged against him to pressurise him into silence.

“This is a grave injustice. They are registering false cases to intimidate us,” he can be seen saying in the video clip. He appealed for justice from the Sindh police chief, the Karachi police chief, the East Zone police chief and the District Malir police chief.