SC takes exception to govt’s failure to submit punitive action report

The Supreme Court on Tuesday took exception to the failure of the authorities to submit a compliance report with regard to action taken against all police officials up to the rank of DIG who were awarded major or minor penalties during departmental proceedings.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam has been looking into the matter of police officers’ alleged involvement in criminal activities and those with patchy service records. It also imposed a cost of Rs50,000 each on the federal law officer and the establishment division for failing to file comments.

The bench had earlier directed the chief secretary, the establishment division and the Sindh police chief to file a fresh report stating the nature of patchy records of police officers and the penalties imposed on them by the competent authority during departmental proceedings.

It observed that the government had not submitted a report mentioning the details of officers above grade 17, against whom proceedings were held after awarding them major or minor penalties.

The court directed the federal law officer to present the compliance report within two weeks. Another bench had also expressed dissatisfaction over an establishment division report and directed it to submit the record of inquiries conducted against the police officers.

The police scrutiny committee headed by Additional IG Dr Sanaullah Abbasi informed the SC that 1,972 suspected cases of police personnel and officers were examined and personal hearings conducted.

He said that as many as 140 cases were recommended for compulsory retirement from service, 20 officers were dismissed from service, 14 opted for voluntarily retirement, seven had already been dismissed and 24 inquiries were pending before the competent authority.

Dr Abbasi said the remaining police personnel were cleared because they were found involved in minor departmental misconducts and charges of absence from duty; therefore, a lenient view was taken by the committee in all such cases.

Bail dismissed

The Supreme Court dismissed the protective pre-arrest bail of a former secretary land utilisation in an illegal allotment case.

Former secretary Ghulam Mustafa Phull had approached court for obtaining protective bail after the rejection of his bail plea by the Sindh High Court.

He was booked by the National Accountability Bureau in a reference pertaining to the illegal conversion of 70 acres of industrial land into residential/commercial purpose land situated in Deh Phihai, Korangi, Karachi.

According to NAB, Phull had illegally approved the conversion of land in the year 2011 in his capacity as secretary land utilisation, which was in violation of the law and rules. After hearing the arguments of the case, the court dismissed his bail application. The NAB authorities arrested the former secretary after the rejection of his bail plea and he would be produced before an accountability court for judicial remand.