GUJRAT, Nov 29: Police arrested a former SHO of Karianwala police station and two other policemen when a Gujranwala court cancelled their bail in a corruption case.

The judge, however, confirmed the bail of Gujrat Tehsil Nazim Saadat Nawaz Ajnala. Another accused, Saleem Akhtar, the naib nazim of Karianwala union council, and three other policemen managed to escape from the courtroom on the cancellation of their bail.

Sajid Gull of Karianwala had lodged a complaint with the anti-corruption authorities in Gujranwala a few months back that PML-Q leader Babar Shahzad Bhatti in complicity with the tehsil nazim and former Karianwala police SHO Muhammad Safdar had implicated him in an abduction case.

“They alleged that I had abducted Jansher Bhatti, a nephew of Babar Bhatti, and exonerated me after taking Rs11.4 million from me.”

The Anti-Corruption Establishment had booked the tehsil nazim and the former SHO among others, and all the accused, except Babar Bhatti, were on interim bails.

The court confirmed the bail plea of the tehsil nazim while rejecting the applications of the other accused.

Patwaris: Patwaris in Kharian tehsil went on strike on Saturday in protest against the suspension of their three colleagues by the deputy district officer for revenue (DDOR).

DDOR Rai Manzoor Nasir on Thursday suspended from service patwaris Shahbaz and Ashraf over irregularities in the distribution of subsidised flour for the Sasti Roti Scheme and patwari Asjad for tampering with the revenue record. Inquiries are under way against these patwaris.

The patwaris, who also observed a complete strike on Friday, called for reinstatement of their colleagues and transfer of the DDOR.

It is learnt that some local politicians belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and a Pakistan Muslim League-Q lawmaker are persuading the DDOR to reinstate patwari Asjad.

In a related development, the local representatives of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said they would not let corrupt elements blackmail honest and dutiful officials.