KARACHI, Dec 10: A bailiff on Saturday raided the Tipu Sultan police station and recovered seven men found in wrongful confinement.

On the directive of a district and sessions court, the bailiff conducted the raid and found Gul Khan, Barkat, Mateen, Allah Noor, Rahim Din, Nauw Khan and Alam Gul detained at the police station. The bailiff got them released on personal bonds since the police failed to produce any FIR against the men.

The bailiff also asked the station house officer and the duty officer to appear in the district and sessions court (south) on Monday.

Ghulam Raza had filed a habeas corpus application under Section 491 (power to issue directions of the nature of a habeas corpus) of the criminal procedure code in the court, contending that the police picked up his 11 relatives from their house in a Kalapul area on Dec 8 and detained them at the Tipu Sultan police station. He alleged that the police were demanding Rs20,000 for the release of each victim of illegal confinement.

The applicant contended that the detainees had been unlawfully confined at the police station for the past couple of days and prayed to the court for their recovery.

After a preliminary hearing, the district and sessions judge (south), Hasan Feroz, directed the bailiff to conduct a raid on the information of the applicant and recover the victims if found to be in wrongful confinement.

The bailiff, Mudassar Hussain, told Dawn that the men were set free on personal bonds as the police officials were unable to produce any FIR against them or an entry in the daily-diary about their arrest.—Staff Reporter