KASUR, Feb 21: A suspect wanted in several robberies and dacoities was released following investigations superintendent of police (SP) intervention on Thursday night from A-Division police custody 26 days after he was detained as his arrest had not been registered.

Sources alleged that the SP had done so under political influence, but the SP defended his action, saying he acted strictly in accordance with the law and that it was a blatant lacuna on part of the police to avoid booking the suspect promptly after taking him into custody.

SP Israr Ahmed Khan also suggested the district police officer (DPO) to suspend the station house officer (SHO) from service for detaining the suspect illegally and torturing him, which the DPO did.

However, the DPO also ordered a fresh probe into the matter after complainants met him to bemoan the release of what they claimed “a hardened criminal”.

SHO Tariq Malik said that he could not inform his high-ups regarding Waseem Khokhar’s arrest on time as he was busy in interrogating him, but sources said the SHO was trying to extort money to the tune of Rs500,000 from the suspect to exonerate him.

The A-Division police captured Waseem in dacoities, robberies and fraud cases on the disclosure of his alleged accomplice arrested in some other cases.

The police had arrested Shahid, alias Shahdi, who admitted during interrogation that he was member of a gang led by Waseem and had committed 17 dacoities and several cases had been registered against them at various police stations, including Lahore’s Mochi Gate and Kasur’s Sadar, Mustufabad and A-Division. After the disclosure, SHO Tariq also succeeded in capturing Waseem. However, he did not register his arrest for the reasons yet to be ascertained.

Sources, however, said that the SHO wanted reaching a deal with the suspect and allegedly demanded through one of his subordinates Rs500,000 gratification from the suspect’s family to free him.

However, sources added, prolonged negotiations gave room to political figures to intervene and, consequently, the suspect was freed on Thursday night on the directives of SP Israr.

Meanwhile, complainants Shahid Ansari and Shoukat identified Waseem Khokhar and his accomplices. In the first incident, the suspects allegedly deprived Shoukat of Rs200,000 in cash while in the second incident, they shot at and injured Shahid Ansari on resistance during a robbery on Lahore-Kasur Road in Sadar police precincts. Another complainant of dacoity, Khalilur Rahman, also identified Waseem at the A-Division police station.

On Friday, all the complainants and a delegation of lawyers headed by Sardar Fakhar, a former general-secretary of the Kasur district bar association, met the DPO and informed him about the development.

The DPO asked the complainants to meet SP Israr in this connection. However, he also ordered an inquiry into the matter to ascertain the facts which led to the suspect’s release.

When contacted, SP Israr said Waseem was not wanted in any case registered with A-Division police and, therefore, the SHO had no authority to arrest him and torture him. He said that investigations were still under way and the suspect would be arrested if credible evidence cropped up against him.

He said only a criminal who was arrested in a case registered with Mustafabad police had named Waseem as his accomplice and it was inadequate evidence for A-Division to capture him. He said that the A-Division police had kept Waseem in illegal custody and also tortured him for 26 days.

SHO A-Division Malik Tariq said that he had busted a gang and, under the circumstances, he had to arrest all members of the gang.

He said that Waseem was wanted in a Rs1.7 million robbery (case No 794/08) in a jeweller’s shop on College Road in A-Division police precincts and complainant Shoukat had identified the suspect. However, he admitted that owing to his engagements, he could not inform his superiors regarding Waseem’s involvement in that case.—Afzal Ansari