FAISALABAD, Aug 8: Four police inspectors banished from the district as punishment for being involved in a kidnap-for-ransom case back in 2005 are again working at lucrative posts in Faisalabad, Dawn learnt on Friday.

Inspectors Alamdar Shah, Rana Waseem Faraz, Rana Attaur Rehman and sub-inspector Rana Atif were expelled from the district in 2005 for their involvement in the kidnap of five-year-old Shahian Mubashir. The boy was released after the family paid Rs5 million to the captors.

Dawn learnt the involvement of these inspectors in kidnap crimes was discovered by a secret agency in Nov 2005, when it worked with police to trace calls being made by kidnappers to the family of Shahian.

The agency not only traced the calls of the kidnappers, but it also netted the web of these police inspectors who had been calling the aggrieved family for bargaining, sources said.

The agency pointed out the cell numbers of the inspectors and other detail of calls made from their phones, sources said.

Then deputy inspector general (DIG) Khawaja Khalid Farooq ordered a departmental probe into the agency claims. Sources said the inquiry committee also found inspectors guilty. Then district police officer (DPO), Muhammad Amin Waince, now Sialkot DPO, saved them from termination, and recommended their transfer to Jhang.

Investigation further revealed that to eliminate evidence, then DPO ordered the killing of Shahda Lohar, who was used as pawn by the police officers to kidnap Shahian.

Lohar was killed in an ‘encounter’ on Dec 2, 2005, along with three other hardened criminals.

Mr Waince is on the record as saying in 2005 that Shahda was involved in the kidnap of Shahian and over a dozen robberies, murders and kidnaps. However, the DPO did not speak any word about his officers who were accompanying him even in the secret meetings of the police.

Now, Mr Shah is working as Mansoorabad station house officer (SHO), Mr Rehman Razaabad SHO, Mr Faraz Razaabad investigation in charge and Mr Atif is working Batala Colony SHO.

Inspector Shah is known as master of bargaining for ransom; Mr Atif has sound connections with criminals, and Atta and Waseem can plan any wrongdoing.

When Dawn asked Regional Police Officer (RPO) Abdul Majeed that the police officers expelled from the district for having involvement in the kidnapping for ransom are back, he said: “This happened before my posting as RPO here.” However, he gave no words whether he would look into the matter or not.

Ironically, the RPO gave prizes to inspectors Shah and Atta on July 24 for their ‘gallantry performance’ for securing the release of a Britain national Hamid Azhar from his kidnappers.

Inspector Atta is also the member of a task force for the detection of kidnap-for-ransom cases.

This correspondent tried to obtain the findings of the inquiry report instituted against these inspectors, but all in vain. Police officials were also reluctant to share any information regarding punishment to these inspectors.

Dwellers of the district are much worried over the rising kidnap-for-ransom cases and police inability to net gangs.