ISLAMABAD: An inquiry into the illegal detention and brutalisation of two teenagers at a police station has found three police officials guilty, police officials said on Thursday.

The inquiry was ordered by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Islamabad Sajid Kiani on Monday. Officials said it was conducted by Superintendent of Police Saddar Zeeshan Haider, who questioned police officials stationed at the Karachi Company police station.

He said the call data of the victims was also examined to determine their presence and location, as was CCTV footage.

The inquiry found three police officials, the Karachi Company station house officer, an assistant sub-inspector and a head constable guilty of misusing authority, highhandedness and brutality.

Mr Haider is also conducting a detailed inquiry ordered by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, police officials said, adding that this inquiry will also include statements from the victims.

When contacted, Mr Haider confirmed that the officials were found guilty in the inquiry ordered by the SSP, and that action taken against them included suspension. He said the inquiry examined the statements from the police officials.

The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on Thursday also took suo motu notice of the incident. A letter from NCHR senior consultant Mirza Idrees Baig, addressed to the inspector general of police Islamabad, stated: “You are hereby requested to please delve into the matter and kindly furnish a comprehensive report as to the present status of this case to this office on or before 28 February 2017, for information/necessary action by this commission under section 9 and all other relevant provisions of the National Commission For Human Rights Act 2012, positively.”

Two teenagers – Zohaib Khan and Asfandyar Abbasi – were picked up by Karachi Company police in G-9 and taken to the area’s police station, where they were illegally detained for 18 hours, beaten and tortured. They were not allowed to contact their families and were forced to confess to being robbers.

Mr Khan’s family managed to locate him the next day, and were told by the police that a gun shaped lighter was recovered from Mr Abbasi’s possession.

The teenagers were released later the same day after the intervention of the SSP.

Published in Dawn February 17th, 2017