BAHAWALPUR: The Sammasatta police on Tuesday claimed to have recovered renowned presidential award winner singer Ms Gulbahar Bano from the alleged illegal confinement in her house at Khanqah Sharif village.

According to police sources, a raid was conducted on the singer’s house in the village after receiving information that Ms Bano was subjected to physical torture and illegal confinement in her house by her stepbrother and other family members .

The sources said that as per findings of initial investigation the singer was subjected to such a treatment by her stepbrother Ayaz following a dispute over her property and her savings in her bank accounts in Karachi and Bahawalpur.

After recovering her from alleged illegal confinement, the police shifted Ms Bano to Sammasatta police station.

The sources said the singer was in trauma and so far could not record her statement to the police.

On being informed of the singer’s recovery, Sadar Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Rahim Leghari visited the police station, where she had been kept in protective custody.

The DSP told the media that Ms Bano was in trauma and not able to answer any question. He added that the police were trying to ascertain the circumstances leading to her alleged confinement.

District police officer’s representative Umar Saleem told Dawn that there were also reports that the singer had been receiving treatment for some mental disorder at the Agha Khan Hospital, Karachi. He claimed it was yet to be ascertained whether any offence was committed against Ms Bano.

Later, Ms Bano’s brother Ayaz talking to the media at Sammasatta police station denied he had any dispute with Ms Bano over her property or bank balance.

He claimed that she had to be kept confined in a room because of her unstable mental condition.

Sources said that neighbours called the police after hearing screams of the singer.

Gulbahar Bano, originally a Seraiki songstress, became famous after rendering Urdu ghazal ‘chahat mein kya duniya dari ishq mein kesi mujboori’.

She was conferred Presidential Pride of Performance Award in 2007.