Police officer yet to join inquiry ordered by IG

LAHORE:SP Hafeez-ur-Rehman Bugti has yet to join inquiry ordered by Inspector General of Police Punjab against him over alleged misuse of power and marrying the ex-wife of a complainant despite the lapse of three weeks.

SP Bugti in an earlier conversation with ‘The News’ had said that he has surrendered himself before inquiry committee officially, morally and financially. However, he has allegedly been avoiding inquiry despite being called several times for the purpose.

Sources told ‘The News’ that SSP Internal Accountability Branch (IAB) Waqas ul Hassan, who is the inquiry officer, had personally called him to join the probe. On first phone call, he told the inquiry officer that he was in Islamabad and could not appear before him at Central Police Office (CPO) Lahore. On the next phone call, he told SSP that he was in Sindh and he would join the inquiry once in Lahore, Punjab. Sources further told this correspondent that SSP IAB had also written a letter to IG Sindh regarding the allegations against SP Hafeez ur Rehman Bugti so that he could be sent for inquiry officially. Sources further told ‘The News’ that seven officers and officials, who were suspended by DIG Operations Lahore over subjecting victims to severe torture, appeared before SSP IAB and submitted their statements. It is learnt that they have stated that they conducted these raids on the orders of SP Hafeez Bugti. On the other hand, the complainant appeared before inquiry officer and told about the whole episode. He told SSP about the inquiry initiated by SSP Investigation Imran Kishwar and SSP Operations Mustansar Feroze. He also told SSP that their belongings including laptops, hard disks and a tab was still in police custody. He also told that despite the misuse of power, abduction and torture was proved, no FIR has been registered so far against accused officers and officials. Defence-C and Nawab Town police were also not submitting their comments to court over a written petition under section 22-A and 22-B of CrPC.

To a question regarding the allegation of Bugti about his removal from Wah Nobel over corruption charges, the victim Sajjad Hashmi said he was never terminated from Wah Nobel. He had resigned from the company on his own and he had received experience letter from the company. Expressing his apprehension, he claimed that SP Bugti is avoiding inquiry intentionally to get benefit of not joining inquiry. SSP IAB Waqas ul Hassan talking to ‘The News’ said that the inquiry is on half-way and it would be concluded by the end of next week. To a question that SP has not joined the inquiry so far, he said he has briefed IG Sindh and an official letter was written to IG for granting permission to SP Bugti to join inquiry. He said Bugti would join inquiry soon. SSP said if he would not face charges then inquiry report would be sent to Establishment Division ultimately for departmental action. Efforts were made to gain SP Bugti’s fresh version but he did not respond to call of this scribe. It is worth mentioning here that Punjab IG Rao Sardar Ali Khan had ordered a regular departmental inquiry against the SP to DIG Internal Accountability Bureau (IAB) on May 17, 2022.