SAHIWAL: Vehari Saddar police held two policemen for impersonating Environmental Protection Department (EPD) inspectors and extorting money from brick kiln owners in the Dalan Bangla area of Vehari district.

Station House Officer Zubair Sindhu told Dawn by phone that the suspects, Muhammad Irshad and Muhammad Zohaib, were apprehended following complaints from kiln owners.

Upon investigation, it was revealed that both policemen were not affiliated with EPD but were employees of the Punjab Police, Special Branch.

Special Branch Sahiwal SP Syed Rameez Bokahri told Dawn that Irshad is a regular employee of Special Branch and posted at tehsil Chichawatni, Sahiwal district while Zohaib was former employee of Special Branch but was now working on deputation in another police department.

Vehari Police recovered two official identity cards: one identifying Zohaib as a constable in Punjab Police, and the other confirming Irshad’s position as supervisor, Special Branch.

Reports said for the past two months, the duo had been posing as environmental inspectors, issuing and collecting thousands of rupees fines from the kiln owners for allegedly not using zigzag technology. Some of them got suspicious, detained the men and called Rescue 15.

A 15 emergency police unit arrested the suspects.

The SHO said an FIR would be registered based on complaints of the kiln owners.

Rameez Bokhari said Irshad would be suspended from service after registration of the FIR. But no FIR was registered until filing of this report.

JUDICIAL REMAND: A judicial magistrate has sent a prayer leader on a 14-day judicial remand on Thursday in a case of molesting a minor student.

As per details, the prayer leader was allegedly caught red-handed by neighbours while molesting his 12-year-old student on Sept 16.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2025