GUJRANWALA, July 24: A former SHO involved in a criminal case escaped from court when the judge rejected his interim bail application here on Wednesday.

Former Aroop SHO Khuram Gul, two ASIs and two other officials were booked for unlawfully detaining and torturing union council No 107 Nazim Muhammad Farooq Othi a few days ago. The former SHO, ASIs Munir Hussain, Saeed and constables Ayub and Riaz were present in court. The former SHO disappeared from court when the judge cast away his bail application. The SHO was already suspended from service. The judge adjourned the hearing till Thursday (today).

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court No 2, Gujranwala, accepted the bail application of labour councillor Babu Amjad Hussain in a criminal case.

The judge directed him to deposit surety bonds worth Rs100,000.

The labour councillor had picked a man from his house with the help of his supporters over an election row and later confined and tortured him at his outhouse.

IMPOUNDED: Over 185 public transport vehicles, including Transport Society Gujranwala (TSG) wagons, were impounded on Wednesday by the RTA secretary for overloading and receiving excess fares in the name of raise in petroleum product prices.

Most of the vehicles were found without route permits on the GT Road and their owners were arbitrarily charging enhanced fares from passengers. On receiving complaints, RTA secretary Tariq Mahmood conducted a raid and impounded vehicles in various police stations. He warned that overcharging and overloading would not be tolerated at any cost as the Punjab governor had taken a serious note of the situation.