HYDERABAD: DIG police Hyderabad Dr Sanaullah Abbasi suspended on Wednesday scores of police officials in Hyderabad range, working within jurisdictions of various station house officers (SHOs) and sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs), because of their suspected involvement in extortion-related activities.

The 23 police officials, who were previously posted in anti-violent crime cell (AVCC) Hyderabad, were placed under suspension by the Deputy Inspector General of Hyderabad Range police , Dr Sanaullah Abbasi.

The copy of the order is available to Dawn.

They were allegedly involved in collecting extortions from their respective remits in entire Hyderabad range and were directed to report to SSP Matiari Amjad Shaikh with immediate effect.

The order said that they should remained confined to Police Lines till finalisation of the inquiry pending against them.

A three-member-committee was formed to conduct a thorough probe regarding involvement of officers in extortions which would submit its findings within seven days.

Three police officers of the committee included SSP Matiari Amjad Shaikh, SSP Badin Sarfaraz Nawaz and ASP Cantonment Hyderabad Umer Tufail.

Police officials who were suspended included one inspector, four sub-inspectors, three assistant sub-inspectors, three head constables, 12 police constables.

According to details, a team of police officers from entire Hyderabad range was formed to address a number of complaints against the officials allegedly involved in extortion.

The team had identified the corrupt officials who were suspended.

Hyderabad police range which is the biggest police range of the country consisted of ten districts of the province including Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Jamshoro, Matiari, Dadu, Nawabshah, Thatta, Sujawal and Badin.