HYDERABAD, May 14: Police on Saturday finally submitted to judicial magistrate Digri interim challan after eight years against the persons accused of kidnapping nine family members of a farmer, Manu Bheel.

Jhuddo police station SHO Altaf Shah submitted the challan under directives of DIG police Mirpurkhas in the FIR (No35/98), lodged on May 11, 1998 under sections 365 and 34 PPC on the complaint of Shrimati Dharmi. The FIR gives full account of kidnapping by the accused.

During the eight year period, the case was once cancelled as B-class under directives of SSP Mirpurkhas on Oct 13, 2002 by the then investigating officers, Syed Zawar Hussain Shah, Khaleeq Ahmed Askari and Sattar Gurgez but was again ordered to be re-investigated by RPO Hyderabad region.

Abdul Rehman Mari, whose pre-arrest bail has been cancelled, is chief accused while Natho Bheel who was Mari’s close confidante and ‘kamdar’, Hashim and others are co-accused in the case.

Natho Bheel has recorded his statement under section 164 CrPC before civil judge Sinjhoro stating that Mr Mari had threatened him with serious consequence if he did not withdraw his statement.

Hashim has also recorded his statement under section 164 CrPC. The court has not cancelled their pre-arrest bails.

The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, while hearing the cancellation of Abdul Rehman Mari’s bail application had expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation and observed that police had taken no step to file challan of the case.

Mr Mari was granted pre-arrest bail on Sept 27, 2004 which was cancelled by Justice Munib Ahmed Khan on April 25 for avoiding investigation and leaving the country without intimating investigation police.

Sanghar SP (investigation) Gul Hassan Larik had then assured the bench that he would file an interim challan shortly after investigating into the recovery of abducted persons and recording statements of other co-accused.

Mirpurkhas DIG Saleemullah Khan, who was transferred by Sindh government and made officer on special duty, has been re-instated by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry during the suo motu hearing of Manu Bheel’s case.

The court took the suo motu notice on an application filed by a Sweden-based human rights activist.