PESHAWAR, Dec 29: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday restrained the Kohistan district police officer (DPO) from taking any adverse action against owner of a filling station who charged the police of registering concocted cases against him. The petitioner, Wahid Rehman, who is brother of former provincial minister Dr Mahboobur Rehman, has alleged that the Kohistan district police were indebted to him on account of purchase of petroleum products, but instead of clearing the debt they have registered fake FIRs against him.

A single bench of the court comprising Justice Saleem Khan ordered the police not to take action against the petitioner till next date.

The petitioner has requested the high court to quash the two FIRs registered against him on the directives of the DPO. The respondents in the petition are the provincial police officer, the Kohistan DPO and the SHO of police station Dassu.

The petitioner, hailing from Swat district, stated that he owned Karakorum Filling Station in Dassu Kohat. He said the government departments used to fill their vehicles from his filling station.

He maintained that the police department also used to fill their vehicles from his station. He alleged that an amount of Rs800,000 had been outstanding against the district police, but despite his repeated reminders they were reluctant to clear the dues.

The petitioner stated that a few weeks ago he was approached by the police on behalf of the DPO and was asked to extend some financial assistance to the DPO. On his refusal, he said, they got annoyed. Later on, a police party raided his station and brought some petroleum product in a jug claiming that he had been selling adulterated products, he added. On flimsy charges two FIRs were registered against him, the petitioner said.

Barrister Masood Kausar appeared for the petitioner and argued that the FIRs were registered without any chemical examination report. He added that the cases were registered on mala fide intentions.