PESHAWAR, March 22: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday summoned a police official in a habeas corpus petition challenging alleged illegal detention of a suspected militant by an intelligence agency for the last six months.

A bench comprising Justice Shehzad Akber Khan and Justice Saleem Khan ordered the official in charge of the Charbagh police post in swat, Fatehur Rehman, TO appear on the next date of hearing.

The SHO of the Khwazakhela police station, who had been summoned by the court, appeared on Tuesday and expressed ignorance about the detention of the detainee Shafiq Ahmad. He said he was not on duty on the day when the man was allegedly picked by police and intelligence agency personnel.

The SHO said a police post covered the Charbagh area, from where the man was allegedly arrested. The court directed him to file a written statement.

The petition has been filed by Mohammad Zarin, father of the alleged detainee. He said stated that his son has been in illegal detention since Sep 28, 2004.

Advocate Qazi Mohammad Anwer appeared for the petitioner and contended that his whereabouts were not known since his arrest and he had not been produced in any court.