RAWALPINDI, Nov 23: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, on Friday ruled that the police would have to complete the verification process of a vehicle impounded on the suspicion of being stolen, within five days.

Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan directed the senior superintendent of police, (SSP) Attock, to ensure that a vehicle impounded on suspicion, should be handed over to the owner within five days after completing the verification process.

The judge passed the order when it was brought to his notice by a petitioner that his car was impounded by the police at Mulla Mansur checkpost, near Attock when he was proceeding to Peshawar to attend a marriage ceremony with his family members.

The petitioner stated that the police asked him abd his family members to make arrangements for proceeding to Peshawar at their own.

Justice Chowhan observed that it could not be permitted that citizens were humiliated at the checkposts by the policemen.

He inquired from the SSP that why the car, which had been impounded about two months’ back, was not handed back to the owner, despite the fact that its number was not included in the list of stolen cars.

When the SSP said that laboratory test of the chassis number of the vehicle could not be done, Justice Chowhan observed whose fault it was.

When it was pointed out that the vehicle was impounded by a head constable, the judge observed that such function could not be handed over to a low rank policeman.

Justice Chowhan observed that he would not allow the SSP to go home till the time he gave satisfactory answer to his queries.

It was very unfortunate that citizens were being insulted by the low rank policeman.

The judge observed that if similar compliants came to his notice, then inspector-general of police would be standing in the court.”

I will not allow this humiliation of the public till the time I am here.”

When the SSP failed to evolve any methodology, Justice Chowhan ordered that the checkpost at Mulla Mansur near Attock would be headed by a policeman not less than the rank of an ASI.

No policemen would remain posted at the checkpost for more than two months. The existing staff would be transferred forthwith.

The owner, whose vehicle was impounded on the suspicion of being stolen, would be given a written statement that his vehicle has been taken into custody and within five days, the verification process would have to be completed.

The SSP would also conduct surprise raids to ensure that the staff of the checkpost was behaving with the citizens.