SIALKOT, Oct 29: In a surprise move, a huge police contingent conducted a raid at district nazim’s Model Town residence here late Saturday night to arrest the accused in an alleged attempt on the life of an army officer and his brother a few days back.

Official sources said Muradpur and Hajipura police personnel surrounded District Nazim Akmal Cheema’s residence to arrest his son Hamza and two nephews Imran and Rizwan. However, none of the accused was reportedly found there.

The accused had been nominated in a supplementary statement of the FIR lodged at Muradpur police station by Maj Khwaja Umer Aziz who said Rizwan and Imran, along with three armed accomplices, had shot at him and his younger brother after they hit his (Major’s) car with their luxury vehicle under the influence of liquor.

Earlier, at a press conference on Friday, the nazim had denied involvement of his son and nephews in the incident which occurred on Chand Raat, terming it a conspiracy hatched by his political rivals.

Mr Akmal Cheema, who is brother of Punjab Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema, also distributed copies of a written statement by Maj Aziz among journalists in which the officer stated the nazim’s son and cousins were mistakenly implicated in the case.

In another statement issued by the nazim on Sunday, he again denied the involvement of the accused in the incident.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has also sought details of this incident from Punjab advocate general and IGP till Nov 2.

Major Aziz and his family were not available for their version.

Police sources said one of the accused, Imran, had been taken into custody along with his driver, and was being quizzed. Meanwhile, Cantonment police claimed to have arrested Rizwan who was allegedly found drunk in Saddar Bazaar. Police have registered another case against the accused.