LAHORE, Nov 14: A district and sessions judge ordered on Thursday registration of a case against an ASI of Kot Lakhpat police station for keeping two youths in illegal confinement.

This is the first instance when a sessions judge exercised his powers on a habeas corpus petition since their authorization to hear habeas cases in April last. Over 200 habeas petitions have been filed with the judges in Lahore.

SSP (investigations) Capt Amin has been directed by the judge to register the case against ASI Abdul Ghafoor and inform him.

Muhammad Ishaq of Mauza Keet Kahna had filed a habeas corpus petition submitting that his son Hameed and his friend Irfan Aziz had been detained illegally by the Kot Lakhpat police for the last two days and tortured.

A bailiff raided the police station where he found both the detainees confined without formal arrest record. They were produced before the court by the bailiff.

In his report, the bailiff submitted that both the detainees were locked in the police station and the duty Moharar told him they were not wanted by the police nor were they summoned to the police station. Rather they themselves had come to record their statements as witnesses in a dacoity case.

According to the bailiff, no entry of their arrest had been made in the police record.

ASI Ghafoor along with the SSP (investigations) was summoned to the court where the judge reprimanded the ASI and ordered registration of a case against him.