LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday restrained police from conducting raids on hotels and guest houses without meeting legal requirements.

Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik passed the restraining order disposing of a petition challenging illegal raids on hotels and guest houses.

Earlier during the course of hearing, a police official submitted an affidavit to court and stated that no raid would be conducted in future without obtaining search warrants from the competent court of law.

Khalid Mateen and others had filed the petition and alleged that police conducted raids on hotels and arrested innocent citizens on the pretext of harboring proclaimed offenders.

They said the police could not raid at any private place without prior permission of magistrate concerned and issuance of arrest warrants.

Petitioners alleged that the police violated the sanctity of four-walls and blackmailed innocent couples. They asked the court to restrain police from conducting raids on hotels and guest houses without obtaining prior judicial orders.

New jails: The Punjab government told the LHC that six new jails in the province would be handed over to prisons department by the end of June this year.

The court was hearing a petition for establishment of new jails in the province. A citizen Rida Qazi filed the petition.

An additional home secretary appeared before the court and stated that construction of new jails was on priority of the government. He pointed out that six new jails were being constructed and would be handed over to prisons department by June 30. When asked by the court, he said recruitment of jail staff had not been started so far.

The court adjourned further hearing for two weeks and sought progress report about establishment of new jails in the province.

Custodial death: The LHC complaint cell took notice of a press report regarding death of a 65-year-old man in police custody.

The cell directed the Sialkot district and sessions judge to look into the matter and submit a detailed report within a week.

The police raided a house to arrest an alleged criminal, Rashid alias Bhola, wanted in a double murder case, but could not find him. Instead police picked up Mahmood Ahmad for allegedly sheltering his son and took him to Pasrur City police station where they tortured the old man to death.

Victim’s family staged a demonstration in Pasrur by placing the body in front of Civil Hospital and demanded a murder case against the policemen. Senior police officers negotiated with the protesting people and assured them of action against the accused policemen.

Sialkot DPO Gohar Nafees denied police torture and said he had ordered a probe into the matter to be carried out by SP (Investigation) Asad Sarfraz Khan.

MEERA CASE: A sessions court on Wednesday issued fresh summons to film actress Meera and her husband Capt Naveed on a plea seeking registration of a criminal case on charges of filming and uploading on social media a ‘controversial video clip’.

An additional district and sessions judge had sought appearance of the couple for Wednesday but they did not turn up.

The judge adjourned hearing till March 8 and issued fresh summons to them.