PESHAWAR, July 14: District and Sessions Judge Hayat Ali Shah on Monday issued a show-cause notice to two officials of Chamkani police station for torturing a detainee allegedly in illegal custody.

The medical examination report and a judicial inquiry confirmed that detainee Amanullah Khan was severely tortured by the police officials— SHO (Investigation) Said Wahab and ASI Safdar Khan.

The court stated that torturing a detainee was a crime under the law and fixed July 18, for next hearing. According to the medical report, there are 11 visible marks of torture on the detainee’s body.

The court ordered a medical examination of the detainee and judicial inquiry by the area magistrate on July 9, after a habeas corpus petition was filed by Gula Jan, father of the detainee, on July 8.

On the other hand, the police high-ups have been trying to protect the policemen responsible for the crime.

To exert pressure for withdrawing the petition, police concocted two cases against Gula Jan— the first on July 7, 2003, and the second on July 9,

2003.

And in both the cases, the police have shown the arrest of Gula Jan. In the first case, he was accused of carrying a gun and in the second, the police claimed to have found a pistol on him.

Petitioner’s counsel Hameedullah Bangash informed Dawn that Gula Jan appeared before the district and sessions judge on July 8 at the time of filing the petition.

If the petitioner was arrested on July 7, how he could appear before the judge on July 8, he questioned and argued that if Gula Jan was kept in custody, how he could be arrested again on July 9.

The counsel informed that his client was also threatened with dire consequences if he failed to confess the crime concocted in the two FIRs. He had to confess the offences under pressure and was fined by a magistrate, he added.

Amanullah and Gul Jan were allegedly arrested by the police on June 28, from their residence at Sardar Garhi.

Later on, Gula Jan was released after a few days after paying Rs35,000 to the SHO concerned.

However, his son was kept in custody.

Mr Bangash said the courts were empowered under Section 22 of the Criminal Procedure Code to take notice of the police atrocities committed against the people.