KARACHI, Oct 10 The Sindh High Court on Saturday summoned the district police officer and other officials of the Thatta police in a petition challenging the illegal detention of a man.

The division bench of the SHC comprising Justices Mushir Alam and Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi ordered the police officials to appear in court on Oct 15. K.A. Wasvani, who filed the petition on behalf of the mother and wife of the detainee, submitted before the court that Akbar Mallah, a 35-year-old labourer and resident of Mirpur Bathoro, Thatta, had been illegally detained on Oct 1 by the then SHO of the Mirpur Bathoro police station, Liaquat Dars, who was now posted at the Loni Kot police station.

He stated that the victim, the father of four, was apprehended by the SHO at the instigation of Haji Allah Dino Parhayar and Wahid Parhayar.

The petitioner's counsel submitted that the detainee's wife, Roshan Mallah, and his mother, Kazo Mallah, informed the DPO of Thatta about the incident the same day, but the victim's relatives did not get any response from the DPO office.

Mr Wasvani said that the detainee's family learnt on Oct 8 that SHO Liaquat Dars had been transferred from the Mirpur Bathoro police station and posted at the Loni Kot police station. He said that the police officer also took away the detainee along with him.

He submitted that the detainee's family again made representations through fax to the DPO, who, however, did not give any response.

Subsequently, the counsel stated, the family filed an application against the police officials in a sessions court. However, he said, the family withdrew the application after they received threats of dire consequences from the police.

The petitioner's counsel also submitted that a CIA team of the Thatta police had come along with Haji Allah Dino Parhayar and Wahid Parhayar to Mallah's house and took away the detainee's elder brother, Ali Nawaz Mallah, some 15 days before his own detention.

He stated that fortunately Nawaz Mallah was recovered and released two days after his detention following the raid of the 1st Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judge, Thatta, on the CIA police station.

The counsel said that the JM had raided the CIA police station on the complaint of some other person whose relative was also illegally detained by the same police.

He prayed to the court that a compensation of Rs1 million be also awarded to the detainee's family.

The bench while issuing notices to the respondents also restrained the police officials from taking any action against the detainee.

The mother of the detainee also appeared in court on Saturday.