KARACHI, May 17: An anti-corruption court directed the police chief on Thursday not to depute two officials to any police station until a graft case lodged against them is decided.

Senior investigating officer of the Gizri police station sub-inspector Munir Chandio and ASI Adnan Ahmed have been booked for allegedly taking bribe from a man in March 2010.

Judge Rashida Asad of the special provincial anti-corruption court, Karachi, through a letter directed the inspector-general of police and the DIG concerned to remove the police officials from their area of duty since they had allegedly misused their official authority to extort money from someone.

According to the prosecution, a raiding party of the anti-corruption establishment, under the supervision of a judicial magistrate, caught Adnan red-handed while taking bribe from a man in Defence on Sept 17, 2010 and seized tainted money from him.

It added that Sub-inspector Munir Chandio and ASI Adnan of the Gizri police station had allegedly picked up two men from their house and collected Rs50,000 from the complainant, S.M. Amir, for their safe release. They also demanded another Rs20,000 from the complainant and Adnan went to collect the amount. Later, the policeman was released on bail.

An FIR (21/2010) was lodged against the police officers under Sections 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.The court had rejected the pre-arrest bail of SI Chandio on May 4 and sent him to prison but granted bail to the police officer a week later against the surety bond of Rs500,000.