LAHORE, April 6: The Faisal Town police on Wednesday arrested its former station house officer and a constable for allegedly releasing six suspected robbers after receiving cash and gold worth Rs1.2 million and a car.

A case has also been registered against Inspector Nabi Bakhsh Butt and his two subordinates constable Shafaqat and SI Nazir. Sub-inspector Nazir is still at large.

Suspected robbers, who had allegedly been released by Butt three months ago after being detained at a guest house, were captured by Ferozwala police four days ago in connection with several cases. Butt is currently facing inquiry on different charges.

The suspects confessed to at least 70 incidents of dacoity and robbery in different districts of the country.

They also confessed that they were detained by the former Faisal Town SHO and his subordinates and kept at a guest house for a few days instead of police lockup for interrogation.

Later a man, said to be a police tout and identified as Idrees alias Deesa, struck a bargain between the two sides and Butt finally released the suspects identified as Rizwan Ashraf alias Qamar, Umer alias Baba, Mirza Zeeshan, Ghulam Mustafa, Akhtar Ali and Aqeel alias Fauji after receiving illegal gratification.

The Ferozwala police then alerted operations DIG Rao Sardar Ali Khan to the matter.

The inspector was called to the office of the DIG in routine on Wednesday and was taken into custody. On his indication, the constable was also detained.

Model Town division SP Dr Haider Ashraf, who is also holding the charge of SP investigation, told Dawn that the police would obtain physical remand of the arrested for extensive interrogation.