RAWALPINDI, Aug 5: Two officials of Airport police station and a Chinese national have been booked on charges of kidnapping a trader of Faisalabad and taking Rs1.8 million ransom for his release, investigating office told Dawn on Friday.

The accused police officials, identified as ASI Zahid Zahoor and constable Saeed, have been arrested, while hunt is underway to trace the three other accused including a Chinese national.

Investigating officer Inspector Malik Afsar of the Airport police station said that Muhammad Yousaf Khan, a trader of Madina Town, Faisalabad, was coming to Rawalpindi from Islamabad along with his friend in a car when a police party led by ASI Zahid Zahoor deployed at Karal Chowk signalled him to stop.

He said instead of taking the two persons to the police station, the ASI blind-folded Muhammad Yousuf and took him to a house in Wah Cantonment where he detained him. The ASI and his accomplices, including a Chinese named as Mr Hungri, took Rs1.8 million in ransom from Mr Yousuf for his release.

The IO said a case had been registered against the accused and investigation started.

Meanwhile, a Federal Investigation Agency official (FIA) has been arrested along with his accomplice on the charge of verifying a fake passport, authorities said on Friday.

The FIA authorities said Sub-Inspector Fakhar Hussain of Passport Cell had made a false verification report in favour of Muhammad Asghar.