SC seeks report on action taken against senior cops

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the home secretary and the Sindh police chief to submit a report with regard to action taken against senior police officers awarded major or minor penalties during their departmental proceedings.

Hearing the Sindh police’s petition against reinstatement of police officers removed from service for their patchy service records, SC’s two-member bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed inquired of the provincial law officer of the action taken against gazetted and high-ranking police officers awarded penalties during departmental inquiries.

The apex court had ordered for legal action to be taken against all police officials up to the rank of DIG by their departments as per the seriousness of their crimes.

The court observed that discriminatory conduct of police would not be tolerated and high-ranking officers with patchy service records will be sent off home. The bench observed that low-ranking police personnel and officers will be reinstated if no action is taken against high-ranking police officers.

The provincial law officer submitted that the home secretary could take action against the gazetted officers if there are found to be involved in any misconduct.

The court directed Sindh Inspector General AD Khowaja and home secretary to appear along with the report regarding action taken against senior police officers awarded punishments during proceedings.

According to police records, non-gazetted officers and personnel are involved in several heinous crimes, including demanding extortion, fake encounters, land grabbing, receiving bribes from gambling dens and liquor shops, providing assistance to Lyari-based gangsters and political parties, smuggling Iranian petrol and diesel and arranging fake ID cards for illegal immigrants among other crimes.