KHAIRPUR, Jan 29: DSP (investigation) Munir Shaikh visited the Civil Hospital on Monday to record the statement of a victim of police torture, but he was unable to record a statement.

This was the second failed attempt by the official to record the statement of 25-year old Mohammad Ali Mallah, who is under treatment at the Civil Hospital here. On Sunday the DSP made the first visit to the hospital for this purpose, and failed.

However, the DSP recorded statement of the brother and other relatives of the youth who had come to visit him at the hospital.

Mr Shaikh is heading a team, appointed by the DPO to conduct an inquiry into an incident of police torture at Pir-jo-Goth police station, where Muhammad Ali had landed in a motorcycle robbery case.

The DSP also went to the Pir-jo-Goth police station and recorded statements of some police officials and also that of the victim’s brother, Waheed Mallah, who is in police custody in the same case.

The DSP told journalists that he believed that Ali Mohammad was innocent in the motorcycle robbery case. About the allegation that the victim was forced to drink lime water, the inquiry officer said that it was difficult to prove.

In the evening, Mohammad Ali, who remained in ‘custody’ even at the hospital, got freedom. His hand-cuffs were taken off and three policemen deputed at his hospital room left the place.