KASUR: The City Pattoki police could not get physical remand of the five police officials on Tuesday as the first class magistrate refused to take up the case for not having powers to grant remand of the crimes falling in the prohibited clauses of criminal law.

Now, the police would present the suspects on Wednesday to court as the judicial magistrate of section 30 was on leave on Tuesday.

The City Pattoki police, late on Monday, arrested five police officials of the same police station for allegedly replacing 17kg heroin with fake one giving benefit to the drug pushers.

Following a fact finding report by an inquiry committee, Kasur District Police Officer (DPO) Zahid Nawaz Marwat suspended five officials of the city Pattoki police for abuse of power, destroying evidence and replacing 17kg heroin seized from notorious drug pushers with the fake to merely to benefit the peddlers.

According to the first information report, a police party, headed by City Station House Officer (SHO) Malik Tariq Mahmood arrested drug pushers Nasir Arshad, alias Nasri, and Kaleem and recovered heroin on February 4.

The police, however, lodged two separate criminal cases on February 4 and 5 against the accused.

Interestingly, the FIR added that report Nos PFSA 2020-286970-NAR/78468 and PFSA 2020-286978-NAR/78471 of the forensic lab declared the samples of the seized heroine negative.

Suspecting foul play, the DPO held an inquiry that unearthed the foul play. The FIR also included naib muharrar Shoukat Ali for his failure to protect the case property.

The police also registered a case against the accused under sections, including 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant in respect of property entrusted to him), 218 (Incorrect record or writing of a public servant with an intent to save accused), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or give false information to screen), 102-B (criminal conspiracy), and 155-C of police order 2002 (misconduct by police officer).

A press release was also issued on Feb 5 from the office of the DPO regarding the seizure of heroin. The press release said the SHO arrested Nasir Khichi and recovered 10 kg heroin from his car. Later, the police lodged another case against accused Kaleem stating 1 kg heroin was seized.

There is contradiction of the press release on Feb 5 with the recent FIR against five police officials. A police official requesting anonymity said that it was common practice with the police two lodge separate cases with the accused to avoid doubt of benefit in case of more than one accused in narcotics cases.

On March 30, B-Division SHO Abid Mahmood was booked in a similar case for allegedly recovering 2.5 kg heroin but showing 1.4 kg as case property. The DPO suspended the SHO from service and got a criminal case lodged against him.

DPO Zahid Marwat said there was zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of power.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2020