MIRPURKHAS, April 21: Four witnesses deposed before the first additional sessions judge, Mr Mohammed Yamin, on Thursday in a case of torture and wrongful confinement.

The witnesses, who included Chaudhry Noor Ahmed, Sher Mohammad, Zulfiqar Ali and Ghulam Mustafa, said that on March 26, when Hashim Jarwar did not return home, panic gripped villagers.

They said that a zamindar, Zulfiqar, told villagers that he (Hashim) had been detained by the Ratanabad police.

They said that next day when they approached the Ratanabad police to know Hashim’s whereabouts, they were told that he was in custody of the Old Mirpur police for interrogation in connection with a complaint of kidnapping for ransom.

The old Mirpur police shifted him to unknown location.

Hashim Jarwar recorded his statement before the judicial officer and later told journalists that he was taken in custody by the Ratanabad police including in-charge ASI Abid Noon on the pretext of conducting an inquiry on a complaint.

He said that he was shifted to the Old Mirpur police station next day where he was tortured by former SHO Syed Raza Shah and then removed to the Khan police station.

The other victim, Naeem Arain, told journalists that the former SHO Satellite town Lakhmi Chand along with driver Yousuf and other officials picked him up from his house in scheme No-2, Satellite town on March 25 night and detained at the Satellite Town police station.