KARACHI, July 29: The anti-corruption police on late Wednesday night arrested the District Officer in the city government's Health department, from his clinic in Gharibad. The police said that the doctor was arrested for accepting Rs20,000 as bribe for issuing a back-dated order to cancel transfer of a food inspector, Syed Zafar Ali Shah.

The police said that the food inspector, who was transferred to the interior of Sindh, negotiated with Dr Ahmed through one of his friends Sabir Shah for cancellation of his transfer. Finally, a deal was struck at Rs20,000, the police said. The food inspector informed the anti-corruption police about the deal.

On Wednesday night Zafar and Sabir went to Dr Ahmad's clinic, where they handed him over the said amount in exchange of the back-dated order issued on July 15 cancelling his transfer. The anti-corruption police, accompanying them, caught the doctor red-handed, police claimed.

An FIR (15/2004) was lodged under the Anti-Corruption Act of 1947, the police added. In the meantime, The Pakistan Medical Association has come out strongly in favour of Dr Ahmed. It demanded that a judicial enquiry be instituted to look into the charges against the doctor.

Dr Shershah Syed, secretary-general of the PMA's central chapter, claimed that Dr Ahmed was arrested on cooked-up charges. He was of the opinion that the step might have been taken to defame Dr Ahmed, who was known for campaigning against the menace of adulterated foodstuff.

According to Dr Shah, a 'drama' had been enacted to arrest Dr Ahmed in which some people approached him and gave him an envelope which was supposed to contain some investigation reports.

"The envelope, realized Dr Ahmed, was heavier than usual, so he threw it away, but by that time some policemen had already entered Dr Ahmed's office to arrest him on corruption charges." Dr Shah added.