RAHIM YAR KHAN, Feb 14: An American citizen of Pakistan origin was kept under illegal custody and tortured by district police.

Reports said Abdul Shakoor was settled in Woodland, California with his wife and three children. Last month, he visited RY Khan to inquire after his ailing father.

After some days, his father died. Mr Shakoor got his ticket confirmed for Feb 5, 2005. On Jan 29, city SHO Ghulam Dastgir, constables Zafar and Khawer Cheema arrested him from a market on the plea that he was using a stolen car on which Mr Shakoor showed the vehicle's authority letter and told them that he had bought it two days back. The SHO claimed that the police had seen the thief at the funeral of his father.

He told the SHO that he did not know the man (thief). Later, the SHO threatened him and demanded $1,000. On his refusal, the police officials tortured him as a result his eyesight impaired.

Later, a relative of Shakoor from Lahore contacted RY Khan DPO and informed him about the incident. On which after six hours of illegal custody, Mr Shakoor was released after paying Rs12,000.

Thereafter, he left for America on Feb 5 but his family is still here. A relative of Mr Shakoor told Dawn on condition of anonymity that constable Zafar was the 'mastermind' of this incident and was victim's old neighbour.

He said Zafar claimed that he (constable) saw proclaimed offender Shabbir Mughal visiting Shakoor's father at the hospital of urologist Dr. Zaheer Sattar. He said the constable pressurized Abdul Shakoor to let the PO arrested.

Mr Shakoor did not know the wanted man and told Zafar that it was the duty of police to arrest criminals, he said. After this the constable demanded money and later tortured Mr Shakoor along with other officials. He said Abdul Shakoor wanted to come back to seek justice. When SHO Ghulam Dastgir was contacted, he was not present at his office.