SAHIWAL, April 9: An eighty-year-old trader along with his young grandson kept under illegal detention by police for 22 days in connection with a dacoity at a foreigner’s house was recovered by a court bailiff the other day.

Chaudhry Aziz Ahmed, 80, and his grandson Adnan, 23, were picked up by CIA’s anti-car lifting cell in charge ASI Muhammad Younas from their tyre shop on March 15.

Aziz told journalists the ASI, along with 15 other policemen, approached his shop and inquired about the whereabouts of his son Shaukat, alleging he committed dacoity on February 16 at the house of Ms Jenny, a foreigner and the principle of a school chain, living in Scheme No 3.

Aziz told the police that he had severed ties with his son since 1998 and was not in contact with him. However, the police refused to accept the claim and picked them both. The trader alleged that the police also took away Rs0.15 million in cash from the shop locker during the raid.

He said he along with his grandson were kept at the house of Ms Jenny’s husband Sheikh Usman, a cousin of a former caretaker minister, and were quizzed.

Aziz’s son-in-law Sardar Muhammad filed a habeas corpus petition in the court of Sahiwal District and Session Judge on April 7, for the release of the trader and his grandson.

The court sent a bailiff which got the detainees free. Aziz said he was also subjected to physical torture during the detention.

The court has summoned SP (investigation) Dr Rizwan on April 20 to explain the police conduct.

“Yes Aziz was put under illegal detention and we are investigating the matter. He was arrested by a police official who is already under arrest for misusing his powers,” Rizwan told Dawn.

It is learnt that Ms Jenny is planning a press conference in Islamabad to press the police to arrest the dacoits.

— Shafiq Butt