HYDERABAD, June 21: A judge of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Monday ordered the Provincial Police Officer to hold an inquiry into the kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl.

The court passed the order as the girl's father, Abdul Rasheed Memon, alleged that the SP, investigation, Hyderabad, Fareed Jan Sarhandi, was involved in the matter which caused delay in recovery of his daughter, Nayab.

The judge, Justice Azizullah Memon, directed the investigating officer to submit relevant papers to the PPO within three days. The PPO will submit his report within 30 days whether he was satisfied with the investigation officer's report regarding efforts made for recovery of the girl.

He will also recommend action against police officers if they were found negligent. After perusing case documents available on record, the judge observed that the police officers blamed the petitioner for non-cooperation in investigation of the case but the papers indicated that the petitioner had been time and again expressing concern against the role of the investigating agency.

The court noted that the investigating agency had failed to trace the kidnapped girl. The court went through statements of the SP, investigation, and other police officers concerned brought on record by Sindh additional advocate general Masood A. Noorani.

SP Sarhandi in his statement said efforts were being made to recover the girl. He said arrested accused Achar and Noor Mohammad had stated that accused Ghulam Mustafa had taken the girl to Balochistan for marriage.

He prayed the court to dismiss the petition. The girl's father alleged that it was at the behest of the SP that despite recording of statements of his witnesses, the matter was being delayed. The SP wanted to cover up the crime as he was directly involved in it, he further alleged.

The petitioner, a resident of Hala, had sent an application to a member of an inspection team of the Sindh High Court, stating that on Aug 20, 2003, Achar, Mai Panai, drug dealer Noor Mohammad, Sana and Shama kidnapped his daughter.

He said when he reported the matter to the Hala police, SHO Hayat Rind, who according to the petitioner was also involved in the kidnapping, refused to register an FIR.

He feared that his daughter and family members might be killed by the accused. The SHC chief justice had forwarded the application to the Hyderabad circuit bench for necessary action.

The SP, investigation, said statements of the complainant and his witnesses Abdul Majeed Memon, Allah Bux Memon, Shafi Mohammad Memon and Mohammad Younus had been recorded, adding that according to the FIR, prosecution witnesses were the complainant's wife, daughters and a son.