DADU, Aug 9: On the directives of the Chief Election Commissioner, an inquiry was initiated on Tuesday against the district police and some political people for arresting Awam Dost Panel candidates and registering cases against them.

The DIGP, Hyderabad, Mazhar Hussain Shaikh, is heading the investigation team.

He recorded statements of ADP candidates, their opponents of the Dadu Ittehad Panel and police officers.

An ADP candidate for the seat of nazim of Gozo, Liaquat Ali Khoso, told the inquiry team that the Khairpur Nathan Shah police had arrested him and pressured him to change his loyalties and withdraw from the contest in favour of a Dadu Ittehad candidate. He said when he refused, police registered a false case against him.

He alleged that police were supporting the Dadu Ittehad and the Jatoi brothers in the district as they were implicating ADP candidates in false cases.

In their statements, Abid Hussain Lakhiar, a candidate of the Dadu Ittehad for the seat of nazim of Thallho, and Azizullah Narejo claimed that only those ADP candidates had been arrested who were involved in criminal cases.

The DPO, operation, Dadu, Rukhsar Ahmad Khuhawar, and the DPO, investigation, Tipu Sultan, were also present.

Thrari Mohabbat SHO Sibghatullah Jatoi, Thrari Mohabbat investigation wing in-charge Altaf Hussain Arain, Khairpur Nathan Shah SHO Rasool Bux Siyal, Khairpur Nathan Shah investigation wing in-charge Alan Khan Abbasi and the Mehar TPO also recorded their statements. They said they had not arrested any candidate without registration of case.

The DIG told journalists that the inquiry was continuing. However, he said, no evidence had so far been found that police had victimized any ADP candidate on political grounds.

It may be mentioned here that a case had been registered with the Khairpur Nathan Shah police against former Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka nazim Zeeshan Leghari and 10 other ADP candidates. They had been arrested but their entry had not been shown in any case.