SC takes exception to citizens’ unlawful detention

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday took exception to the unlawful confinement of suspects at lock-ups by the police in the name of investigations and observed that police officers should visit people’s residences themselves for the purpose of investigation, instead of calling them at the police stations.

Hearing a petition against the reinstatement of police officers who had been removed from service for unlawfully confining some suspects, a two member bench of the SC, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, inquired the police officers why they kept citizens in unlawful confinement.

The apex court observed that the citizens were not the servants of the police who should come to the police station, and it should be police officers who should go to the citizens for recording their statements for investigations.

The police officers submitted that they were removed from service on the allegation of unlawful confinement of citizens. They submitted that they had called some persons for the purpose of investigation.

A state counsel submitted that police officers, Irshad Jatt and Mohammad Younus Jatt, were removed from service for unlawfully confining the citizens; however, a service tribunal reinstated them. He requested the SC to set aside the service tribunal order.

After preliminary hearing of the petition, the SC issued notices to the police officers and called their comments.