RAWALPINDI: The Racecourse station house officer (SHO) has been removed and a sub-inspector, who was booked for allegedly helping a proclaimed offender escape police custody, has obtained pre-arrest bail.

A proclaimed offender escaped police custody in a heavily guarded judicial complex on Monday, April 3.

A senior police official confirmed that Racecourse SHO Haji Tariq was removed from his post and transferred to Police Lines for negligence in regards to guarding the escaped suspect.

Described by police as a dangerous criminal, Malik Mohammad Arshad – alias Arshad Langra – was declared a proclaimed offender and absconder in a number of robberies and fraud cases.

Although he has been wanted for a long time and police raided his home, Mr Arshad escaped arrested after brief ‘encounters’.

His arrest came about after law enforcement raided his residence on Friday, March 31. Although nothing was recovered during the raid, Mr Arshad was arrested and handed over to Racecourse police was alleged involvement in a robbery registered with the police on Jan 23.

Since he had already been declared a proclaimed offender in another burglary – registered on Sept 23, 2015 – with the Racecourse police, the police were waiting for remand custody to investigate the case registered against him.

He had been remanded into Racecourse police custody for two days starting on Friday or alleged involvement in a robbery, and was in the custody of sub-inspector Nadeem Altaf, who was interrogating him.

Prior to his escape, Mr Arshad was discharged in one case and was sent to the judicial complex regarding another case. There, Mr Altaf unlocked his handcuffs and once unrestrained, he escaped.

A case was registered against Mr Altaf for allegedly helping Mr Arshad escape and for abusing his powers.

Civil Lines SHO Mian Imran said the sub-inspector was booked by the police and obtained pre-arrest bail on Tuesday, but he would be brought to justice after his bail is cancelled.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2017