12,000 Sindh cops have ‘suspicious’ records, inquiry team tells SC

KARACHI: About 12,000 police officers have ‘suspicious’ records, according to an inquiry team report, which was presented to the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry on Wednesday.

The report was compiled by an inquiry committee, headed by Additional IG Rana Sanaullah Abbasi, in a case pertaining to taking action against police officers involved in criminal activities.

The report analysed the records of more than 100,000 policemen of Sindh police. Of the policemen, about 17 were terminated, 11 took voluntarily retirement.

The inquiry committee had investigated about 100,009 policemen of which 15,000 were summoned by the court and 11,000 were given a clean chit. 

During court proceedings, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah expressed his anger over lack of action regarding officers of higher grades. He remarked: “why isn’t action being taken against police high ups?”

He added, “Do you think we are unaware of all that goes on in Sindh Police [affairs]?”

After this, the court ruled that it is unfair that only junior officers are investigated for involvement in different crimes and not senior officers.

Later, the bench summoned chief secretary Sindh over the matter and then went into a short recess.

After the recess, the court ordered advocate general Sindh to prepare a report on the investigations against officers above Grade 17 and submit it to the court on July 28. 

On July 6, the SC had expressed anger over inaction against high-ups in the Sindh Police who have been involved in illegal activities in Karachi.

During the hearing, the inquiry committee, constituted by the Supreme Court, submitted an interim report over the matter, but the report did not have material over any action taken against high-ups in the police department.

Justice Maqbool Baqar said there is a strong grouping in the Sindh Police. He added this impression should be eradicated by carrying out indiscriminate action instead of picking and choosing.

Therefore, the court ordered the committee to carry out action against all the corrupt employees, including officials of the rank of deputy inspector general, of the department and sought a report within two weeks.

While taking suo motu notice against cases the Supreme Court had found out police officials being involved in murders, robberies and extortion cases. FIRs were also registered against the accused, but they continued to enjoy their positions in the department. Therefore, the SC had constituted the inquiry committee to take action against such officials.