KARACHI, Feb 12: Four men apparently kept in wrongful confinement at the anti-encroachment police station were recovered by a judicial magistrate on Saturday.

On a directive of the district and sessions court (Malir), Judicial Magistrate Ashfaq Mughal carried out a raid on the anti-encroachment police station and got the four men — Mohammad Jameel, Mohammad Yahya, Mohammad Ayub and Mohammad Asif — released on personal bonds and directed the station house officer and the duty officer to appear before the district and session court on Monday.

Court sources said that the magistrate, who found the four men in wrongful confinement in the lock-up, ordered their release since the police failed to show an FIR or any other documents to justify their confinement.

The magistrate will submit his report in court on Monday.

Hakeemuddin through his counsel submitted a habeas corpus application under Section 491 (power to issue directions of the nature of habeas corpus) of the criminal procedure code in court stating that the police picked up his four relatives in Shah Latif Town on Feb 10.