RAWALPINDI, Jan 11: Four arrested Elite Force policemen, who were on duty on January 4 when the Punjab governor was assassinated, were released on Tuesday as they told a magistrate's court that they 'immediately' overpowered Malik Mumtaz Qadri and seized his weapon, it was learnt.

The four – Inspector Amir Mehmood, ASI Nadeem Asif, and Constables Baqir Ali and Mohammad Atif – were arrested by Islamabad police after Qadri killed Salman Taseer in Islamabad's Kohsar Market. Qadri, sent to Adiala jail on judicial remand by the anti-terrorism court for 14 days, recorded his statement before an assistant commissioner on Monday.

ICT police quizzed Qadri's four colleagues and released them after recording their statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Court in the court of a magistrate on Tuesday.

In their statements, they said that were on VIP security duty when their colleague opened fire on the governor as he was getting into his car, killing him instantly.

They said they immediately overpowered Qadri, seized his weapon, and handed him over to the local police. After release, they went to Elite Force wing.

However, they will face an internal inquiry. Besides the four, an arrested cousin of Qadri was also released on Tuesday.