HYDERABAD, July 19: A provincial leader of the PPP-SB, Ali Ahmed Palepoto, was released by the local investigation police on Thursday following his 41-day-long detention at different police stations in and outside Hyderabad district in connection with the kidnapping of Surgeon Mohammad Hussain Leghari.

Palepoto was taken into custody on June 7 soon after Leghari returned home after 53 days in the captivity of some bandits.

He approached the SHO, Bhitai Nagar, Aijaz Tareen, after he heard that he was thought to be involved in the kidnapping case.

He also approached other police officials and left his contact numbers with them, saying if he was required he would be available.

Palepoto was initially kept at the investigation office (old CIA centre) here for interrogation before being sent to some unidentified destination in Thatta district.

However, he was neither shown arrested in any case nor was his remand obtained from any court in the kidnapping case.

The activists of the Pakistan People’s Party (SB) observed token hunger strikes for more than two weeks, demanding release of Palepoto.

Majeed Siyal, another PPP-SB leader, who was picked up from Abdullah Blessings by SHO Tareen on May 8, has not been shown arrested in any case.

He was also apprehended for interrogation in connection with the kidnapping of Dr Leghari.

A petition was filed by his brother, which was disposed of after the SHO and the DPO told the court that Siyal was required in a number of criminal cases, including kidnapping of Dr Leghari, but he was currently not in custody of the Hyderabad police.

Given his previous criminal record, the Hyderabad district police have moved Sindh home department for fixing head money of Siyal.