IGP orders action against cops involved in illegal detentions

Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khowaja has taken notice of the rising number of illegal detentions of citizens by police officials and directed the relevant deputy inspectors general to check police excesses.

In his letter, a copy of which was also sent to Karachi’s additional inspector general, the provincial police chief said: “It has been noted with grave concern by the inspector general of police that the frequency of illegal detention[s] is on the rise in various police stations, especially in specialized units.

“Of late, there have been two incidents of illegal detentions, one reported at Ferozabad Police Station and the other in the Anti-Violent Crime Cell. These unlawful detentions have not only caused grave concern amongst common citizens but also portrayed a bad image of the Karachi Police as a whole.”

The letter further said it was expected that officers commanding districts, zones or specialised units would exercise effective supervisory control and pay frequent visits to police stations/units to ensure that the practice of keeping citizens in illegal detention was immediately checked and those responsible were punished severely to set an example for others.

The DIG of East Zone was request to initiate disciplinary action against the Ferozabad police station officials involved in detaining three men illegally. 

The letter asked the CIA DIG to initiate disciplinary action against the AVCC officials involved in the illegal detention of a citizen. The AIG Establishment was directed to follow up action to be taken by the units after 15 days. On Thursday, three police officers who had been arrested a day earlier for keeping three men in illegal detention at the Anti-Violent Crime Cell housed at the Garden police headquarters were granted bail.

Judicial Magistrate (East) Asif Ahmed conducted a raid on the AVCC and rescued three men who were being kept there in illegal custody. The family members of the detainees had filed a case through the judicial magistrate (East) accusing AVCC officials of picking up Jameel, Khaleel and Faizan.

In the raid, three police officers, namely Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Tasdeeq Waris, Station House Officer (SHO) Chaudhry Irshad Jutt and Sub-Inspector Younus Jutt, were arrested and FIRs registered against them. The three men were apparently being detained to get a ransom for their release. 

On Monday, a policeman and two of his four accomplices were arrested for abducting a citizen from his house in Defence View and demanding Rs2 million for his release. The two accomplices still at large are also policemen, while the two who were arrested – a man and a woman – are civilians.

The arrests came about after the judicial magistrate (East) conducted a raid at the Ferozeabad police station and found one Asad Abbas in illegal detention in the station’s kitchen.

The three men arrested were identified as Head Constable Pervez Shah, Saima and Arif Shah.