HYDERABAD, July 28: Police on Tuesday widened the scope of investigation into the supply of contaminated water by including managements of factories and two power houses in the probe.

The investigating officer, Inspector Maula Bux Leghari, submitted the interim challan before the judicial magistrate-II, seeking time to complete investigation into the release of industrial effluent into the Indus river.

Sources said the court granted him a time of 15 days to complete the investigation. One more official of the Water and Sanitation Agency, assistant executive engineer, Salimuddin, was also included in the case as co-accused.

He was held responsible for the supply of contaminated water to residents, knowing the fact that contamination had been proved in routine analysis of water. The interim challan was submitted on the orders of Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench.

It may be mentioned that highly contaminated water of a multinational company, Lakhra power house and Jamshoro thermal power was being discharged into the River Indus which was polluting it to a great extent.

The police said these organizations were releasing industrial effluent in violation of environmental laws. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Tuesday issued notices to former secretary irrigation Bashir Dahar, chief engineer Kotri Barrage Agha Hassan Ali, chief executive Dadu Habib Kaboro, former managing director Kafeel Khanzada and secretary health Ashiq Memon in an identical petition, involving issue of water-contamination, for Aug 17.

The petition was filed by Fahimuddin, who was being represented by Taj Mohammad Kaimkhani advocate. The petitioner prayed the court to order a judicial inquiry into the matter to determine causes of water contamination. He also requested the court to direct respondents to pay compensation to affected people.

PPO SUMMONED: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, here on Wednesday issued notice to the provincial police officer and additional advocate-general on a petition filed by landlord Ghulamullah Sanjrani alleging police harassment.

The matter has been fixed for August 12. The petitioner cited Qasim Raza Nizamani, former ASI, and Zulfikar Larik, former SP, headquarters, Hyderabad, as respondents.

He said that on July 13, 2000, the respondent ASI intercepted his car, took him to the Bhitai Nagar police station and booked him in a case, mentioning that he was found in his bungalow in an obscene condition.

He said that the investigation police concluded that no such incident as reported in FIR had taken place and case was disposed of as false. He said that matter was also investigated by police and a departmental inquiry was conducted against respondent ASI and finally he was dismissed from service by the RPO under the West Pakistan Police Rules 1988.

He said that the PPO dismissed an appeal of the ASI in September 2003 but later, he again submitted an appeal before the PPO who ordered fresh inquiry into the matter to be conducted by the respondent SP.