ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ordered the director crime circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to conduct an inquiry into the illegal detention of a man by the capital police and an alleged demand for Rs60 million for his release.

The order issued by Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri of the IHC stated that the director FIA crime circle Islamabad is directed to conduct the inquiry and submit a report in 10 days. Besides, the inspector general of police (IGP Islamabad is directed to immediately suspend the SHO Industrial Area police station and appoint a new SHO. The court said the order about suspension of the SHO should also be produced in the court.

Mohammad Awais Paracha filed a petition in the court, alleging that his father Mohammad Naeem Paracha was illegally picked up on September 28 and detained in the lock-up of the Industrial Area police station. He also alleged that the police were demanding Rs60 million for his release.

In response, a bailiff of the court was directed to immediately recover the man from the police besides taking possession of the Roznamcha (daily diary) of the police station.

The bailiff recovered the man and produced him before the court along with the daily diary. The SHO also appeared in the court and sated that the man was an accused in a case registered on August 23, 2022, over a dispute related to the sale and purchase of a property and payment of the amount.

The matter was later resolved and on statement of the complainant of the case police made a report for cancellation of the FIR on August 30, 2022, but it was not presented before the judicial magistrate, the court order said. The cancellation report is intact, however, the SHO stated that the DSP concerned had not agreed with the cancellation report on September 12.

“When examined, it shows that the order of DSP is on plain white paper, has freshly been prepared as no Zimni (supplementary statement) has been written in this regard. When inquired, the SHO has admitted that the man - Mohammad Naeem Paracha - is not formally arrested in the case whereas confined in the police station since September 28 evening and no proper record of the arrest of the man is incorporated in the daily diary.”

The man has also stated that he was illegally and forcibly picked up by the SHO and other police officials from outside his house and confined in a small room. He said the SHO was continuously pressuring him to pay Rs60 million. He was even not allowed to use washroom.

“In view of the above, the petitioner is directed to file an application for registration of FIR in the concerned police station against the accused involved in the matter. The man is also be released and shall not be arrested without permission of the court in this case as the cancellation report has already been prepared on August 31, 2022 by the SHO,” the court order added.

Assistant Attorney General Khalid Mehmood Dhoon was directed to convey the order of the court to the IGP, it added.

When a spokesman for the capital police was contacted, he said the SHO had been suspended and another officer appointed in his place. About the FIR, he said it was not yet registered.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2022