ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: Four officials of the Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) were suspended on the direction of Inspector General of Police (IGP) for their alleged involvement in patronising the auto-thief gangs, sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

Moreover, a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the officials and it is most likely that they would be shown the door if the allegation against them proved correct, the sources said.

During the inquiry being conducted by SSP Malik Mohammad Yousaf, the accused revealed that many other police officials including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) were involved in facilitating the gangs of auto-thieves in the federal capital.

A senior police officer told Dawn that an intelligence agency was approached by the police high-ups to trace the black sheep in the police uniform after two Adiala Jail prisoners, Walyat Shah and Adnan Khan, during investigation disclosed that several policemen were either patronising the auto-thief gangs or providing them assistance in lifting the vehicles and taking them out of the city.