HYDERABAD, Jan 16: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday directed the station-house officer of Tando Mohammad Khan to record statement of Munawwar Ali Noonari, brother of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party leader, Dr Ahmed Noonari, for registration of an FIR against some police officers. The court allowed Munawwar to move any other miscellaneous application if he felt aggrieved and with this observation his present petition was disposed of.

Munawwar had filed a petition through Haji Khan Hingorjo advocate against the DPO, Taluka police officer and SHO of Tando Mohammad Khan. He said that on Dec 12, 2008 his house was attacked by supporters of the Sirhandi Pir family but instead of lodging case against them, the DPO and TPO launched a campaign against Noonari community, arresting its 24 members, including Dr Ahmed.

He said that he approached a sessions judge by filing an application under Sections 22-A and B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for the registration of an FIR and the court directed the respondents to register an FIR, but they did not comply with the order.

He said that the accused were influential and their close relative, Pir Farid Jan, was a high ranking police official and currently DPO Jacobabad.

He said that instead of arresting and lodging an FIR against the culprits, the police were conducting raids on houses and villages of the members of the petitioner’s community.

He said that on Dec 13, the respondents raided his house off Bathoro road without any warrant on the grounds that his brother was an absconder. He added that the police also took away his belongings including a cellphone, two buffaloes, one TV, one VCD, one tape recorder and Rs15,000 cash.

He said that they took him to the police station without any case and subjected him to torture for hours and then he was thrown away from the police station.

The petitioner said that on Dec 15 all respondents led by DPO Tando Mohammad Khan raided village Haji Rabdino Noonari.

He said that police took away some peasants named Pitho Kolhi, Safi Machi and Mehar Samoo to the police station, however; they were released later.

He requested the court to direct respondents not to harass him and members of his community. He said that an honest officer should be appointed to investigate cases, lodged against his family members and members of his community. He said that a case should be registered against respondents.