PESHAWAR, Aug 22: A bitter controversy over what has been described as an unfair murder inquiry conducted by a deputy inspector general of police took an unusual turn when his office was sealed on the orders of the NWFP police chief on Tuesday.

Sources told Dawn that the DIG (Inquiry and Inspection), Mian Baz Afridi, had also been asked not to attend office till Sept 1 -– the day he is to retire from active service.

A row between the DIG and the rest of the police department broke out when it was reported in the press that he had cleared three people accused of murdering two brothers from the inquiry he conducted.

Defending his probe findings, Mr Afridi told newsmen that he had sent repeated notices to the officials of the capital city police associated with the arrest of the accused. He said that he had also kept NWFP police chief Mohammad Riffat Pasha posted about the progress of the inquiry.

However, Mr Pasha charged the DIG with misconduct and defiance.