BAHAWALNAGAR: No action has been taken against a landlord and his bodyguard who were arrested earlier this week and recently seen in viral videos being brought to court for judicial remand without handcuffs and sitting in the court courtyard laughing along with police officials.

The first information report (FIR) stated that on May 6 Muhammad Azhar from Mauza Dado Ahloka along with his guards tortured the staff and owners of a petrol pump after a staff member refused to sell fuel to one of Azhar’s employees. Azhar along with his four heavily armed guards tortured the pump owner, his brother and staff. They also threatened to kill them and fired several shots in the air.

According to the police report, residents nearby called police and Minchinabad Station House Officer (SHO) Abdul Razzaq inspected the scene. On May 7, Azhar and his guard were arrested in a raid and illegal arms, including two Kalashnikovs, recovered from them, while other suspects fled from the scene. They were booked in a case of possession of illegal arms, aerial firing and terrorising as well as issuing death threats to their opponents.

The next day, some videos went viral in which the suspects were seen being taken to the court for judicial remand under ‘VIP protocol’ without handcuffs in the custody of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Abdul Ali. The videos showed the suspects sitting on chairs and seemingly cracking jokes with police officials in the chamber. Since then the police is being criticised by residents and they have been demanding action against the officials seen in the video.

On the condition of anonymity, some police officials told Dawn that both suspects were intoxicated at the time of the arrest. However, they made a few phone calls and the matter was settled in exchange for a hefty bribe and police did not even conduct their medical examination and shifted them to a private room instead of the lockup. They said that when the complainants reached the police station and protested against the protocol, the suspects were temporarily shifted to the lockup.

On Sunday, the Minchinabad police issued a press release stating that Azhar and his guard possessed illegal arms and a photograph showed both men in handcuffs in the police station. It claimed that following several public complaints and inquiries, ASI Ali had been transferred thrice in three months, but because of a senior police official and some political personalities his transfer orders were withdrawn.

ASI Ali could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts. But SHO Razzaq, admitting police negligence, said the suspects were presented before the judge in handcuffs that were later removed as Azhar was allegedly a heart patient.

Minchinabad Deputy Superintendent of Police Ali Raza Shah said the videos were being investigated, but the DPO’s spokesman, Syed Wahaj Shah, said that no inquiry had been initiated at the circle or district level yet. He said the suspects’ lawyer had told the SHO that Azhar was a heart patient and the judicial magistrate had ordered to remove his handcuffs.

However, according to a copy of the remand available with Dawn, there was no mention of any of the suspects having any disease and neither was there any mention of relief for any of them.

The complainant’s lawyer said the police high-ups should take action against the officials for negligence under Section 155C.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2020