The inquiry officer of the Crime Investigation Authority (CIA) Civil Lines Police case, in which policemen had allegedly tortured a resident of Hadyara to death a few days ago, would submit the inquiry report to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday (today).
According to sources, the chief minister had ordered Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Major (retired) Mubasharullah to furnish a detailed report within 48 hours of the incident. However, he was unable to do so because the doctors, who had conducted the autopsy, had not given the autopsy report to the inquiry officer.
Talking to Pakistan Today, the DIG said that he had finalised the inquiry from his side, which established that the CIA Civil Lines Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Shakeel Butt and his accomplices had tortured Niamat Ali to death. Moreover, the accused policemen did not appear before the inquiry officer when told to explain their position. He said that the ASI and his accomplices had detained Niamat Ali for eight or more days. The ASI had picked Niamat two months ago as well but later released him on the intervention of the villagers, the DIG informed, adding that in order to make his act legal, Shakeel Butt had registered a fake case against Niamat but Niamat got bail from the court.
Earlier, Muneer, the complainant and brother-in-law of Niamat and 11 other residents of the Natho Ke Village, including eye witnesses of the incident, visited the office of the DIG and had their statements recorded before the inquiry officer.
The eye witnesses said that they had seen the accused policemen throw Niamat’s body in front of his house in an unconscious state. One of the eyewitnesses, Shams-ud-Din, who had also remained in the custody of CIA Civil Lines Police for nine days, said that earlier the Badami Bagh police had taken him into custody without any reason and later handed him over to the CIA Civil Lines Police. He said that ASI Shakeel Butt and other policemen had subjected Niamat to severe torture in front of him.
The complainant told Pakistan Today that the DIG had promised to visit their village on Monday (today) to inspect the crime scene. He said that CIA Police had established a torture cell in Natho Ke Village and they would show it to the investigation officer (IO).
The complainant said that ASI Shakeel Butt, his subordinates and some political figures were pressurising him to withdraw the case or face dire consequences. He said that he would pursue the case regardless of all threats.
The CIA Civil Lines Division had allegedly tortured Niamat to death for his alleged involvement in providing shelter to the proclaimed offenders of four kidnapped boys and murderers on Wednesday.
The CIA Police’s Civil Lines Division officials, including ASI Shakeel Butt, two constables and two unidentified persons had nabbed five men, including Muhammad Shoaib, Shams, Muhammad Anwar, Imran and Niamat Ali on January 13. Muhammad Shoaib and Shams were released after investigation, however Niamat Ali, Muhammad Anwar and Imran remained in detention.
Hadyara Police Station Investigations Incharge Sub-Inspector (SI) Ramzan told Pakistan Today that they have not been able to arrest ASI Shakeel Butt and his fellows, despite repeated raids at their houses. He said that the investigations were underway and they would soon arrest the aforesaid policemen.
However, well-placed sources in Hadyara Police disclosed that the accused policemen were in contact with the investigators, who were supporting them and trying to avoid their arrests.