FAISALABAD: As many as 11 policemen, including a DSP and an inspector of the Crime Investigation Agency, helped a gang of hardened criminals involved in dozens of cases of robbery-cum-gang rape and murder to escape from police custody.

The role of the CIA policemen in the gang’s escape was detected during an inquiry wherein CIA SP Farooq Hundal interrogated a criminal who had escaped from police custody but was arrested again.

The inquiry into escape of these outlaws known as ‘Oadh gang’ from police custody was initiated on the direction of City Police Officer (CPO) Dr Haider Ashraf.

The gang was wanted by police in several cases of murder, robbery and rape during robberies, police sources said.

The sources said the criminals -- Nizam alias Waryam, his brother Irfan Oadh of Samana, Asif alias Ashiq, Arshad and Riasat alias doctor, all residents of Chak 6-JB -- were detained at an outhouse in Sidhupura in the limits of the Ghulam Mohammadabad police from where they escaped on Jan 23. However, the police later managed to arrest Asif again and interrogated him to know whether the outlaws were helped by any insider in their escape.

The inquiry officer mentioned in his report (available with Dawn) quoting Ashiq that the outlaws had struck a deal with ASI Niaz, Constable Sattar and some other policemen on duty, that the cops would get Rs150,000 for helping the gang members in their escape. He said it was planned that the outlaws would escape along with an official sub-machinegun (SMG) and a motorcycle so that the incident looked ‘genuine’.

The IO noted that the gang members had been interrogated by the policemen for two months at various private places in Samundri, Kur and Bahlak and were finally detained at an outhouse of a lawyer in Sidhupura.

He categorically mentioned that gang had been in the custody of the police officers including CIA DSP Anjum Kamal, Inspector Zafar Iqbal, in charge Makoana CIA Sub-Inspector Ahmed Munil Shah, in charge Madina Town CIA ASI Niaz Ahmed, ASI Ijaz Wahla, Constables Shamshad, Tariq Wahlah, Tahir Javed, Ghazanfar Shah and Abdul Sattar for the last two months, holding all of them responsible for the escape.

The officer noted DSP Kamal was well aware of the gang's arrest and recovery of weapons from the outlaws but withheld the information.

He declared the guilty policemen ‘black sheep in police uniform’ who earned a bad name for the department.

It was mentioned in the inquiry that CIA SI Ahmed Munil had been arranging the detained criminals meetings with their families that helped them file writ petitions in the courts.

The CPO said a case (76/14) under sections 155-C of the Police Order and 223/ 224 of PPC had been registered against SI Ahmed, ASI Niaz and Constables Sattar, Sakhawat and another policeman was registered with the Ghulam Mohammadabad police.

All negligent policemen have also been suspended from service, he added.

The IO said show-cause notices to the accused ASI and constables had been issued and departmental action was recommended against the DSP and inspector.

SSP (operations) Ghulam Mubashar Maikan is also probing into the issue as the CPO has appointed him inquiry officer to ascertain the facts.

The sources said four of the escaped criminals were still at large and raid were being conducted for their arrest.