RAWALPINDI: Six police officials, including station house officer (SHO) Cantt were suspended and a departmental inquiry was launched against them for illegally detaining three people in order to extort money.

One of the victims informed the Punjab police chief who then ordered inquiry into the incident.

According to a police spokesman, a comprehensive investigation has been assigned to Superintendent of Police Operation Shoaib Mehmood and SP Potohar Division Tasawar Iqbal, however, following preliminary investigation, six officials were found guilty, resulting in their suspension.

Sources said that Cantt police ASI Amir Mehmood’s report stated that a car owned by Asif Khan was impounded in Saddar on June 29, 2021 as Khan could not provide proof of ownership. Likewise, Aitazaz Ahmed’s car was impounded on the same day. Another ASI impounded another car from Taxila chowk after observing that it was a non-custom paid (NCP) vehicle and shifted it to Cantt police station.

One of the three car owners contacted a senior official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), informing him that the three officials were demanding Rs1.5 million for release of the vehicles. The FIA officer then reportedly contacted the Inspector General of Police Punjab Inam Ghani and informed him about the incident.

He said IGP Ghani promptly moved and directed senior police officials in Rawalpindi to immediately take strict action against the officials involved. After the matter was investigated, it was decided that all six officials will be booked under kidnapping for ransom charges.

According to a police official, the six police personnel may face dismissal from service as their move embarrassed the PTI government and the IGP Punjab.

Meanwhile, six station house officers of Rawalpindi district were reshuffled to improve police operations.

A spokesman for police said Sub-Inspector (SI) Zaheer Uddin Babar was posted as SHO Cantt, while SI Qasir Naseem was posted as acting SHO Kotli Sattian.

SI Mohammad Naseer-ur-Rehman was posted as SHO Saddar Wah Cantt while former SHO Amjad Pervez was directed to report to Police Lines.

SI Adeel Khan was posted as SHO Wah Cantt, while the former SHO SI Mohammad Arshad was posted as in-charge investigation at a police post near Murree.

SI Masroor Ali Akbar, who was posted as SHO Kotli Sattian has been posted to Taxila while former SHO Taxila SI Ghaznafar Abbas was transferred to Police Lines.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2021