RAWALPINDI, June 30: Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Khan Durrani here on Monday placed a number of police officials including sub-inspectors (SIs) and assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) under suspension and transferred eight other officials to the police lines.

According to a press release, the RPO paid a surprise visit to Police Station (PS) Sadiqabad and checked the lockup and police station record. He expressed his dissatisfaction over the pending investigation cases and pending references.

A number of dishonour-cheque cases were kept pending for long time only to blackmail the parties, the police officer observed.

He issued instructions that all such cases must be finalised within four days and warned that beyond that period explanations from the investigating officers would be sought.

Mr Durrani suspended eight investigating officers for keeping the case files pending without any justification. The record was also found in poor conditions and incomplete for which Reader (Moharrir) ASI Ahmad Khan and Naib Moharrir Constable Muhammad Irfan were also suspended.

Two persons in the police custody complained to the RPO that they had already reached a compromise with the complainant but the cases had not yet been finalised by the IOs.

On this, the local police was directed to finalise the case without further delay.

Eight constables were found to be posted in the police station for more than five years. They were transferred to police lines for further postings.

Two men - Saif Maseh and Ijaz Maseh - confined to the police station complained that they were taken away by ASIs Yaqoob and Sahrif and Constable Gulzar and alleged that they were charged with selling the liquor.

They said they were subjected to physical torture and released after they paid Rs30,000 but later the amount was returned on the intervention of senior police officials.