CHAKWAL, July 5: The Dhudial police looted Rs180,000 from the vehicle of a businessman after torturing him and his driver at a check post and later, kept both of them in illegal confinement for one and a half hours, it was learnt on Tuesday.

Khizar Hayat, a resident of Ransiyal village of Kallar Kahar told Dawn on Tuesday that he along with his driver Mohammad Asim was going to Chak Baili village to buy chickens. At Dhudial check post, the police officials stopped the vehicle and began to search the pockets of his driver.

At this, the driver said that he would empty the pockets before them. SHO Salim Akhtar and the constables got infuriated at this and began to beat him. Khizar Hayat said he came to rescue his driver but the police personnel also beat him.

Later they took them to the police station and put them in the lockup without registering a case.

Meanwhile, Khizar Hayat said an acquaintance came there and informed his partner who managed to get them released after one and a half hours. As they received their car, they found that Rs180,000 were missing from the car.

He said that they requested SHO Salim Akhtar to return the money but he showed his ignorance about the amount.

When contacted, SHO Saleem Akhtar told Dawn that police did not steal the money. “When we stopped their vehicle driver Mohammad Asim refused to show the documents and started manhandling a constable. At this other constables beat him”, said SHO.

He said that he took them to the police station for reconciliation. “We have nothing to do with the cash amount of 180,000 and we did not detain them”, SHO maintained.