Three officials of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Karachi have been arrested on allegations of “corrupt practices” and wrongfully detaining a trader from Punjab, according to a senior CTD official.

Karachi CTD SSP (Investigation) Bashir Ahmed Brohi told Dawn.com that the officials were accused of detaining the trader over charges of terror financing and involvement in Hawal/Hundi business to extort money from him.

On being informed of this, action was taken for the release of the trader and the suspects’ arrest, he said, adding that the trader had been released.

The SSP said a case was registered against the suspects on a complaint by the trader’s cousin on Saturday and legal proceedings had been initiated against them.

The first information report (FIR), registered at Karachi CTD police station in the south district, invokes Sections 34 (common intention) and 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, quoted the complaint as saying that he was visiting Karachi with his cousin, Mohammad Waqas, for business purposes when the latter went missing on Saturday around 9am.

“His mobile phone was turned off,” the complainant told police, adding he reached CTD Civil Lines police station while searching for Waqas.

The complainant said he met Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Khawaja Imdad Ali at the police station who sought information about Waqas from his staff. He added that Waqas was eventually recovered from an assistant sub-inspector’s (ASI) room at 2:30pm but there was no record of entry at the police station of his detention.

According to the FIR, the ASI, along with two constables, had wrongfully detained Waqas.

The complainant sought legal proceedings against the suspects.