Excise Department Inspectors Saleem Toor and Muhammad Rafiq are involved in corruption worth hundreds of thousands of rupees per month through drug peddlers and informers, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to sources in the department, Toor and Rafiq along with other officers are bagging cash through drug peddlers and are themselves involved in the profession. Their juniors, who do not comply with their orders are posted out of Lahore, a source said. Toor and Rafiq along with five other excise officials raided Riaz Gujjar’s residence in Gawalmandi through an informer named Luddi. Even though they were unable to procure any illegal substance from Riaz, they detained him on the pretext of selling narcotics and took him to Liaquat Chowk. They later contacted his family and asked for an amount of Rs 300,000 for Riaz’s release or threatened to register a serious case against him that could lead to lifetime imprisonment. However, the family was able to gather Rs 100,000 only and after bargaining, the excise officials agreed to release Riaz in exchange of Rs 100,000 at MuslimTown.
The source added that on similar lines, excise officials Toor and Rafiq raided Aisha Bibi’s house in Bhatti but did not find any narcotics there. These officials not only gorged out around Rs 23,000 from Aisha but also stole valuable jewellery which they later returned after Aisha threatened to file an application. The source said Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) Khalid Bajwa shields corrupts officers and receives a monthly amount from them.
The source further said Inspector Toor’s informer, Luddi, is involved in selling heroine and through his contacts in the department is eliminating his competitors in the business to tap a greater marker share. The source added that Inspector Toor is connected to several peddlers and often protects them to receive a larger commission from their sales.
When contacted, Inspector Saleem Toor accepted arresting Riaz Gujjar but denied receiving any money for his release.
ETO Khalid Bajwa, when contacted, said he was unaware of the whole matter and had not received any application regarding it.