PESHAWAR, April 10: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday directed the local police to close down three illegal detention centres, which were run by a former SHO of Hayatabad police station in his area.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk pointed out that a recent inquiry conducted by the police high-ups on the order of the high court proved that SHO Rajab Ali had been running three illegal detention centres in Hayatabad, Peshawar.

The bench directed the police to hand over the three premises to their owners and provide their details to the court so that they could be asked not to rent out their premises in future for such illegal purposes.

On the court order, a senior investigation officer of National Accountability Bureau Col (retired) Hussain Ali appeared and told the court that he had constituted a team for probing the allegations against the SHO of amassing wealth by indulging in illegal activities. The bench observed that so far three inquiries had been conducted against Mr Ali and all the three showed that he was involved in illegal activities. The SHO had already been transferred to police lines.

The bench was hearing a writ petition pertaining to alleged illegal detention and torture of a 5th grade student by the SHO. The petition was filed by one Ms Mamala challenging detention of her son, Iqbal Hussain. The police had expressed ignorance about the occurrence and the officials concerned claimed that he was not kept in detention.

The bench on Tuesday directed the SHO to file reply to the charges.

The chief justice pointed out that it had been revealed in an inquiry against the SHO that a notorious anti-social element involved in bank robbery and other offences was his friend and now the intelligence agencies had been searching for him, but he had slipped away to Afghanistan.

The bench also summoned several other police officials of the police station concerned who were allegedly involved with Mr Ali in his illegal activities. These officials included ASI Rahat and constables Asif, Khitab, Said Ahmad, Raees and Sher Rehman.

The court summoned a former tehsildar of Jamrud, Shakeel Khan, for keeping a detainee in alleged illegal detention at the behest of the SHO. The court fixed May 3 for next hearing with the direction that the officials summoned should appear before it.