Rawalpindi - Inspector General of Police Punjab Amjad Javed Salimi suspended 3 police officers and a cop for their alleged involvement in collecting extortion from drug mafia running narcotics’ cartels in Gujar Khan and its suburbs, official sources revealed on Saturday.
The corrupt cops were shown the door on recommendations of the City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, the sources said.
The suspended police officers were identified as former Station House Officer Police Station Gujar Khan Ishtiaq Cheema, who was currently posted as SHO PS Mandra, an inspector, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Ghulam Asghar and constable Arslan, official gunman of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gujar Khan, they said.
According to the sources, a special police team, following the orders of City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan, carried out raids against drug dealers in Sandal and other localities of Gujar Khan and held 6 drug peddlers including notorious proclaimed offender-cum-narcotics seller Ali Asghar and shifted them to the police station. They said that during investigation, Asghar and other detainees revealed that they had been allowed to run drug cartels in their areas by police officers and cops against the extortion.
“Two inspectors including former SHO Ishtiaq Cheema used to pocket Rs200,000 each per month from drug mafia while ASI Ghulam Asghar collected Rs100,000 as extortion from them,” the sources quoted the PO as saying. Similarly, constable Arslan, who was deputed as official gunman of the ASP Gujar Khan, was also accused of collecting Rs50,000 as extortion from drug peddlers in the area, the sources said.
CPO Abbas Ahsan, following the shocking revelations of the accused, forwarded a report to IGP Punjab Ajmad Javed Salimi while recommending strict departmental action against the accused police officers and the cop. Taking action, IG Punjab immediately placed all the accused police officers and cop under suspension and directed the CPO to initiate a detailed inquiry against the corrupt cops.
When contacted, CPO Abbas Ahsan confirmed that 4 police officers and a cop had been suspended by IG Punjab on his recommendations for their alleged links with the drug mafia and on charges of collecting extortion. “We will conduct a thorough inquiry on the involvement of police with criminal elements and drug peddlers,” he said.
Meanwhile, CPO Abbas Ahsan posted 2 new station house officers at police stations Mandra and Rawat. Sub Inspector Syed Jawad Shad was appointed as SHO Mandra while SI Ijaz Qureshi was posted as SHO Rawat. Both the newly-appointed police officers have assumed their charges following the orders issued by CPO.