May 22, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 05, 1428

SANGHAR, May 21: The former DIG (operations) of the Mirpurkhas police, Salimullah Khan, was on Tuesday produced in the court of the Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Khipro, Sheikh Intisar Yousuf. A heavy contingent of the police force was deployed in the court area, while lawyers showered the former DIG with rose petals.

The complainant in the case, Amirio Bheel, son of Mamdio Bheel, prosecution witness Allano Bheel, his wife Raj Bai, and Jama, wife of Amirio, were brought to the court in a police mobile.

An identification parade was conducted during which Jama, Raj Bai and Amirio did not recognise Mr Khan. After adjournment, the next date has been set for Wednesday, May 23.

The case (No. 35/07) under section 458, 354, 344, 220 and 506 of the PPC and R/W 155-C, 156 Police Ordinance 2007, was registered against the former DIG on May 14, 2007, at Khipro police station. In the FIR, the complainant stated that on the night of September 15, 2006, DIG Salimullah Khan and Inspector Shahid Bajwa came to their village in over 16 police mobiles and picked up two women, Jama and Raj Bai, pressurising them to accept that they were Mannu Bheel’s daughters.

DNA tests carried out in this regard showed negative results.

After the hearing, Mr Khan told reporters that he was being punished for having followed the Supreme Court’s instructions to locate missing members of Mannu Bheel’s family. Chief Minister Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim had become annoyed, he said, when influential people involved in kidnapping Mannu Bheel’s family were taken to task.

Mr Khan said that the fabricated case was lodged after he levelled serious charges against the chief minister on a television talk show. He added that his case was quoted in the presidential reference against CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, that he had important evidence to submit before the Supreme Court, and was therefore being victimised through this fabricated case. He further alleged that Monday’s mob attack on the vehicle taking him from the Mirpurkhas district jail to Khipro was an assassination attempt.

The former DIG’s defence lawyers, Salahuddin Panhwar and Mir Hassan Chanhio, pointed out that the court had directed that Mr Khan be produced in court. However, before the identification parade, he was taken to the Khipro police station where Jama, Raj Bai, Allano and others were also present. The lawyers announced their intention to file a contempt of court application in this regard.

Kanji Mal Bheel, coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), told Dawn that the complainant Amirio Bheel had become a tool in the landlords’ hands. He said that during his time as DIG Mirpurkhas, Mr Khan had punished corrupt police officials who were now taking revenge.

Our Mirpurkhas correspondent adds: Second Additional Sessions Judge Mirpurkhas, Ahmed Luqman Memon, granted a bail of Rs 50,000 to former DIG (operations) Mirpurkhas, Rana Saleemullah Khan on Monday.

Advocate Salahuddin Panhwar argued on behalf of the accused while deputy district public prosecutor Zulfikar Leghari appeared from the government’s side. The accused was granted bail in a case lodged with the Khipro police station.