HYDERABAD: A sub-inspector of CIA Jamshoro district — dismissed from service in the backdrop of a case of 77kg charas seizure by Rangers in Karachi in July 2021 — has been reinstated in service and promoted as inspector as well after his acquittal in the case from a Karachi’s court.

Eleven policemen were booked in FIR 587/21. Seven of them, including CIA Jamshoro official incharge Nisar Bhatti, were arrested and four, including sub-inspector (de-facto CIA incharge then) Ghulam Sarwar Rahupoto, brother of an ex-MNA of the PPP, head constables Asghar Panhwar and Abdul Jabbar Solangi and constable Imam Bux Zardari had absconded then. A case against them was registered at the Boat Basin police station under Sections 6/9(C) of Control of Narcotic Substances Act.

On June 10, 2025, Additional District and Sessions Judge-IV Abdul Hafeez Lashari sentenced six of them to life imprisonment on the basis of evidence available on record which established that the accused were policemen who misused their official position, uniform, weapons and a government-issued police mobile to transport a huge quantity of the contraband.

The court, however, had withdrawn its April 17, 2023, notice, issued to Inspector Nisar Bhatti, SIP Sarwar Rahupoto, WHC Asghar, HC Abdul Jabbar and PC Imam Bakhsh (let off during investigation) on the ground of failure of IO to substantiate the claim against the accused.

Hyderabad police DIG Tariq Dharejo reinstated Sarwar Rahupoto; he was let off by a trial court in FIR. He was called and heard in person on Nov 26, 2024. The DIG set aside his dismissal order, passed by the SSP Jamshoro on July 20, 2021, thus reinstated him in service with immediate effect and posted him in Jamshoro.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2025