LAHORE, Oct 25: The provincial police chief on Thursday removed a superintendent of Lahore police from his post in connection with two departmental inquiries against him.

A source privy to the development told Dawn that Saddar SP (Operations) Capt Liaquat Ali Malik (retired) was made officer on special duty in the light of an inquiry conducted by the Lahore SSP (Operations) in connection with a case involving forced exit of a woman tenant from the house of a retired judge in Nawab Town.

The source said another inquiry conducted by the SSP Internal Accountability Division (IAD) involving release of four trucks loaded with smuggled items by the police after receiving bribe, also held the SP guilty.

According to a notification issued by the Central Police Office, the IG transferred Faisalabad (Iqbal Town) SP Shakir Husain Dawar and posted him in Malik’s place.

According to the first inquiry report (a copy is available with Dawn), Dr Jawaira Ghazanfar submitted an application to the chief minister that she acquired a portion of the house from Sheikh Shahid Rafique (an ex-sessions judge) in B-Block of Nawab Town and opened a school. She phoned Saddar SP (Operations) Liaquat Ali Malik on July 2, 2012 that Shahid and his wife were hurling life threats at her.

The woman submitted an application to the Nawab Town police on July 3, but SI Ziaul Haq didn’t take any action. The woman got a stay order from a court on July 7 and submitted a copy to the SI. She stated that the house owner entered her school on July 12, threw her luggage out and locked her school.

Jawaira said she submitted another application to the police, but no case was registered because of the SP’s interference.

Earlier, the same officer being investigation official adopted an irresponsible attitude and showed his sympathy with woman’s former husband Rizwan who was nominated in a car theft case in May 2012.

The woman then submitted an application to the CCPO following which a case under sections 380, 148, 149, 337 H-II and 506 was registered with the Nawab Town police.

Jawaria said she made several calls to Rescue 15 when Shahid Rafique was illegally occupying her school and resorting to aerial firing on the midnight of July 12.

The inquiry officer recorded statements of police officers including SI Ziaul Haq, former SHO Asif Ali, Investigation SIs Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Arshad and Chuhng circle DSP Nasir Bajwa, visited the spot and spoke to the neighbours. During the course of time, the SSP (IAD) suspended SI Zia for taking no action.

The IO established that Dr Jawaria set up Lyceum School after acquiring the house against 11-month rent.

She paid six-month advance rent to owner Shahid who worked outside Lahore. Shahid’s wife was abroad and on her return she started efforts to vacate her house from the complainant.

Dr Jawaira started filing applications with the police besides getting a stay order, but the police took no action.

The IO established in the light of witnesses’ account and wireless log that: “At least 19 Rescue 15 calls were dialled by Dr Jawaria in two hours and all officers including the SP and the DSP were aware that the woman’s luggage was being thrown out of the house. SI Zia reached the spot and kept informing the SP about the incident. But the SP said the matter was sub judice.”

“The settled rule, however, says that if any person or persons illegally occupy a property the police come into action, retrieve the occupation and hand it over to the victim. A case is usually registered under sections 448 and 511 of the PPC against the occupier.

And if the police have mala fide and the forced occupation is not retrieved and a case under Section 448 is usually registered to establish forced occupation.”

The IO said the same happened in the case. Furthermore he stated that the SP himself saw the FIR, bur neither he himself took any action not let any subordinate to proceed according to law. Besides, it was found that the SP was also partisan in the entire case.

Sources said the second inquiry held on the orders of CCPO Muhammad Aslam Tareen established that Sundar police seized two trucks of smuggled goods near main road two weeks ago and later released them despite informing the Customs officials.

They said the inquiry proved that ‘Rs1.3 million’ had been received from the smugglers who were released before the arrival of Customs officials and the matter was in the notice of SP.

SP Liaquat Ali Malik could not be reached for comments.

However, a source close to the SP said Mr Malik was not called for the inquiry and his statements were not recorded.

He said the SP denied the allegations, saying his (SP’s) subordinates were not punished in both cases and he had been made a `scapegoat.’