TAXILA, July 27: Family members of a former police constable, who was found dead in mysterious conditions in a lock- up, have sought justice from the Supreme Court. Talking to newsmen here, Rana Mursaleen, father of the deceased, said that his son Rana Mohsin died in the police lock- up in Wah Cantonment on June 29, 2006.

“We are running from pillar to post to get justice. We want action against those police officials, who tortured my son to death,” he said.

Other family members including mother, sister and brothers of the deceased were also present on the occasion. They said that Mohsin was picked by the local police in a murder case and kept in police custody without mentioning his arrest on official record.

“He (Mohsin) was severally tortured and when he died they hanged his body and declared it a suicide,” they added.

Police authorities had claimed that Mohsin committed suicide. “But autopsy on the body found that he had died due to torture,” they said and alleged that the investigation officials tortured him to death and staged the drama of suicide just to save their skins.

Mr Mursaleen said that on July 1 last year, a writ petition in the court of the district and sessions judge Rawalpindi, under Section 22 (A) was filed against the investigation staff including the SHO of Wah Cantonment police station, to register murder case against them.

The court appointed the area magistrate for undertaking a judicial inquiry into the case. However, Mr Mursaleen was of the view that the inquiry was proceeding with snail’s pace and “there is no light at the end of the tunnel, because the accused police officials are enjoying lucrative posts in the department.”

“On the protest of lawyers and civil society organisations, the local police high-ups suspended the then SHO Malik Arif, Sub- inspector Sikandar, Night-reader Irshadullah and constable Shahzad for few months just to cool down the issue, but no departmental action has been taken against them so far,” the deceased’s father added.

He said that taking suo motu action, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, had sought a report on the case from the inspector- general of Punjab police, directing him to ensure submission of the report within 10 days.

Mr Mursaleen claimed that the police never submitted the report to the apex court.

He alleged that some high ranking police officials and local political figures of the ruling party were mounting pressure on the family to settle the issue out of the court.

“But we want justice through the judicial process,” the old man said in a gloomy voice.