HYDERABAD: A four-member inquiry committee, headed by the DIG of Hyderabad police range, has exonerated Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Sharjeel Inam Memon from all charges of involvement in the much-hyped Asif Memon kidnapping case, according to sources.

The inquiry report would be finalised after SSP Irfan Ali Baloch who was on leave at present resumed duty and would then be submitted to Sindh IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali, a source close to the committee members disclosed to Dawn on Thursday.

The inquiry primarily pertains to kidnapping for ransom case of Asif Memon, first cousin of former DIG and now a serving Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Bashir Memon.

Sharjeel Memon’s name came up in the case when the then Thatta SSP Pir Farid Jan Sarhandi arrested Bashir Brohi, Sharjeel’s farm manager, on Sept 3 this year on charges of playing a role in the kidnapping and said he had confessed to having received Rs1 million out of Rs7.5m ransom money, which had been paid to captors.

The committee was formed when Sharjeel reportedly spoke to the party leadership over the arrest of Brohi and Sarhandi, according to TV channels, reacted to it by saying “pressure is being exerted on me to release Brohi”.

“Sharjeel had no role in the kidnapping or for that matter even SSP Sarhandi but the latter was, indeed, aware of contacts between Bashir Brohi and Iqbal Brohi, prime accused in the case,” said a source quoting a committee member.

“It has been established that Rs7.5m ransom had been paid to kidnappers at a place in Jhol, Sanghar district, to which Brohi had led CIA DSP Aslam Langah,” said the source, adding it negated the claim that ransom was paid at the residence of Sharjeel, an MPA from Hyderabad.

The committee came into being in the wake of arrest of Brohi and Sarhandi had claimed to have picked him up in Hyderabad but a source disclosed that SHO of Dhabeji police station, Zulfikar Arain, a trusted man of Sarhandi, persuaded Brohi to come to Thatta and had him arrested there.

Sarhandi has since been transferred from Thatta. Memon is currently in Dubai reportedly over health issues for the past several months, since Rangers sped up anti-corruption drive in Sindh, especially in Karachi.

“The committees’ findings indicate that Brohi was actually looking after land of both Sharjeel and Sarhandi before the two developed differences over some issues related to their land. It later transpired that Brohi was an alleged informer of Sarhandi who had himself appointed him in police when he was SSP of Hyderabad,” said a source.

Brohi is now facing trial before an antiterrorism court in the case.

“The committee members discussed the land issue between Sarhandi and Sharjeel. The officers were curious about the fact why Brohi was arrested at a time when Rangers were taking on corrupt government functionaries in the wake of Karachi operation,” said the source while quoting an officer.

After Sharjeel and Sarhandi locked horns, Brohi switched sides and got close to Memon since he was an influential PPP leader.

A source close to Sharjeel denied he had any land dispute with Sarhandi but admitted the SSP was annoyed with him over some other matters. “They did get land on lease from forest department….but they managed it separately,” he said.

The committee recorded statements of police officials Zulfiqar Arain, Ibrahim Pitafi and Anwar Lakho, who were posted in Thatta then and claimed they possessed call data records (CDRs) of Brohi and kidnappers.

A Rangers team had also reportedly arrived from Karachi to speak to Brohi, who was finally handed over to Hyderabad police. A case was lodged on behalf of state at Hatri police against Brohi on charges of involvement in kidnapping for ransom under Sections 365-A and 7 of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997.

IGP Jamali had had a cursory look at the inquiry report presented to him during a recent visit to Hyderabad but he asked DIG Khadim Rind to attach some supporting documents with it before its final submission, said a source.

“Since then the report is lying with the DIG and will be formally submitted if and when the DIG so desires,” said the source.

Asif Memon was kidnapped in October 2014 and was set free by his captors after payment of ransom. He remained in captivity for 82 days. Brohi agreed to play a role in his release after getting assurances that Memons would request Sharjeel and Sarhandi to help him recover the hostage. Asif’s family was made to take oath not to lodge an FIR if Asif safely returned home.

Khalid Memon, Asif’s brother, insisted he did not meet Sharjeel but categorically denied any direct or indirect role of “both (Sarhandi and Sharjeel) in the case”.

He said that though he did not remember the place where ransom was paid but it was certainly not at Sharjeel’s residence as was wrongly reported in media.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2016