SUKKUR, June 22: Ghotki district police officer (investigation) Aftab Halepoto, assumed the charge of the DPO (operation) on Saturday after the former DPO (operation) Tashkeel Haider was transferred to police headquarters in Karachi.

Mr Haider was transferred on the order of the Sindh chief minister, after an investigation declared him responsible for conducting a fake raid at Mohammad Gadani village in the jurisdiction of the Khanpur Mahar police, it was learnt authoritatively.

Talking about two brothers, Ghulam Mustafa and Ali Murad Gadani, arrested in the raid, Mr Haider claimed at a press conference that they were wanted terrorists and 20 hand grenades, 40KG explosive material and other arms and some stolen vehicles were recovered from their possession. He added that they were involved in bombing and other terrorist activities in Karachi as well as interior of Sindh.

Later, their third brother, Mohammad Gadani, was also arrested.

The area people sent telegrams to the chief minister, who also hails from Khanpur Mahar, stating that it was a fake raid and Mr Mustafa and Mr Murad were not terrorists but innocent landlords.

On this, IGP, Sindh police, Syed Kamal Shah ordered an investigation into the matter, which was conducted by Khairpur DPO Naveed Tahir who recorded statements of the villagers and the Khanpur SHO.

After conducting the investigation, Mr Tahir reported that the raid was fake and Mohammad, who had a land dispute with his brothers, arranged the material recovered in the raid.

When this correspondent contacted the DIG, Sukkur range, he said: “ I can neither say that the transfer of Mr Haider was caused by the investigation against him nor reject your opinion.”

This correspondent also tried to contact Mr Haider for his comments but he was not available.

Meanwhile, the three brothers are still in police custody.