HYDERABAD, Dec 18: The Qasimabad SHO, who was arrested after being booked here on Wednesday for demanding ransom for the release of a detainee, escaped from the police station on Wednesday night.

The Cantonment police had registered a case against the SHO, Jehangir Ansari, under sections 365 and 389, PPC, and 155-D and 155-C, Police Order 2002, on the complaint of Asghar Ali, resident of PIB Colony, Karachi.

The complainant in his FIR stated that his brother, Shahnawaz, had gone missing on Dec 9 while he was on way to Nooriabad to visit his lands.

He said on Dec 12 he received a telephone call from a man who introduced himself as an SHO, telling him that Shahnawaz was in his captivity and he should reach Hyderabad and pay money to get his brother released.

He said he contacted Citizens-Police Liaison Committee chief Shaukat Suleman as he thought the caller was a bandit and demanding ransom.

The CPLC chief recorded subsequent conversation between the complainant and the caller and informed the Hyderabad DPO about the matter.

The complainant came to Hyderabad on Dec 16 and met the DPO who referred the matter to the ASP, Cantonment-II.

Mr Ali then contacted the caller on his cellular telephone, who told him that he was SHO Ansari and asked him to come to the Qasimabad police station.

Initially, the SHO had demanded Rs200,000 but the deal was struck at Rs35,000.

He paid Rs10,000 to Ansari and promised the payment of Rs19,000 on Dec 17.

The Cantonment police said the SHO asked Mr Ali to come to the vicinity of the Ziauddin Park.

Ansari brought the hostage in his car (P-1367) who was freed by the police but the SHO escaped.

Reports said the SHO had picked up Shahnawaz, Ahmad Ali, and an unidentified person on Dec 9 and later arrested three more unidentified persons of Karachi.

After the matter was brought into the notice of the Hyderabad DPO, a raid was conducted at a police post near a filter plant and five of the detainees were released. Except for Shahnawaz, the arrests had not been disclosed.