HYDERABAD, Jan 2 The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday issued notices to the Thaibath SHO, the DPOs of Jamshoro and Hyderabad and Hyderabad zone DIG on a petition, filed by Mohammad Ibrahim Loond, seeking recovery of his aged brother, who had allegedly disappeared from police custody.

The petitioner, a retired school teacher, said that on December 23, 2008 his brother Mohammad Ayub 60, was present at Laki Shah Saddar bus stop when SHO Shaukat Chandio of police station Thaibath, police constable Qadir Bhatti, and three constables came there in a mobile van and arrested him in the presence of Mohammad Sharif, Wali Mohammad, Allah Rakhio, Hussain Bux and others.

The petitioner said that on the same day the petitioner was informed about the incident and, he along with Mohammad Sharif son of Dhani Bux, went to police station where they were informed by the SHO that a case against petitioner's brother was registered and he would be produced in court on next day as per law.

He said that SHO allowed him to see his brother, who was provided food the same night in the lock-up. He said that on December 24 police didn't produce him before the court and when he approached SHO and inquired about his brother he said that they didn't produce him in court and demanded an amount of Rs100,000 as bribe for his release.

He said that on his refusal to pay bribe the SHO threatened him that if bribe was not paid his brother would be murdered in a managed encounter. He said that when the petitioner served meal to his brother, the SHO told him to arrange money in one day otherwise he wouldn't be able to find his brother anywhere.

He said that on December 25 when breakfast was sent to police station for detainee, police disallowed it on the ground that Ayub was not there and had been taken away by Hyderabad police. The petitioner said that his brother was an old man and was never involved in crime. He said that petitioner approached high-ups of police but didn't get any satisfactory reply still he was unaware of whereabouts of his brother.

He said that such news was also carried by media. He added that he also approached Hyderabad police officials but couldn't find him. He said that as police had made his brother to disappear and he had serious apprehension that police had murdered his brother or would kill him in a fake police encounter.

He prayed the court to release his brother and produce him before high court. He said that respondents should be directed to take stern legal action against respondents DPO Jamshoro, SHO Thaibhat and police constable Qadir Bhatti.

He said that respondents should also be directed to provide protection to him and his family members as they are being threatened by Laki Shah Saddar police. The matter is fixed for January 5.