HYDERABAD: A 70-year-old man died on Thursday in what the bereaved family said, “shock over arrest of his son on flimsy grounds”.

Abdul Hameed, 36, was already under treatment after being injured in a road accident when he heard about arrest of his son, Danish, on May 1 by the SITE police in connection with a disputed matter of power theft.

The family said the elderly father could not bear the arrest of Danish and died. He was buried on Thursday.

The police had registered a case on Hesco staff’s complaint against Danish on April 22 for recovery of Rs56,000 electricity bills. He somehow collected the money and paid the bills.

“After the FIR was lodged, a policeman from the SITE police station asked Danish for Rs30,000 for getting him bail,” said Imran Suharwardi, a Sunni Tehreek activist. He said that Danish, instead arranged the money and paid the entire amount, Rs56,000, against the bills. Still, he wondered, Danish was arrested along with four other persons nominated in the relevant FIR.

He said the FIR was lodged about a week before his arrest despite the fact that the total Hesco bill had been paid on April 27.

Danish was arrested from his house on May 1 in the presence of his ailing father. Abdul Hameed died on Thursday but his body was kept in cold storage until

Danish was released on Friday from the Nara Jail. Danish took part in the funeral and burial of his father in Tando Allahyar. Barring Danish, the other nominated suspects had obtained their pre-arrest bail.

Danish’s younger brother, Nauman, said that Danish worked in a factory. He narrated that their electricity meter had burnt out for which Hesco had issued a demand notice for replacement with a new one. He said the demand notice amount was paid on July 18, 2023 but Hesco did not install a new meter. Danish had pasted the demand notice near the burnt out meter, he added.

SDO Zohaib Sherwani admitted that the family had paid the demand notice last year but none from them had informed him about the payment.

Hesco spokesman Sadiq Kubar said that Danish was arrested for power pilferage thus FIR was lodged by SDO Miran Mohammad Shah subdivision officer (SDO) Mohammad Zohaib. Kubar confirmed that Danish had paid the bill outstanding against him.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2024