Rawalpindi - City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi has snubbed SP Dr Sardar Ghias Gul for acting beyond his jurisdiction in a matter of awarding departmental punishment to a sub-inspector (SI), sources informed The Nation yesterday.
The CPO restored the sub-inspector on his job. The CPO also forwarded a letter to the regional police officer and inspector establishment/OB/SRC/Acct for necessary action against the SP, sources added.
According to sources, CPO Abbasi awarded punishment to a Sub-Inspector (SI) Hassan Raza posted at Police Station Murree vide office order No.5170-72/PS dated 1/10/2015 on the allegations that as per report of the SP, the SI registered a case number 165 dated 17/6/2015 under section 376 PPC with PS Murree on the complaint of one Mahrukh.
During investigations, the sub-inspector omitted the sections without bringing into notice of his SHO and SDPO/DSP Murree, the sources added. The report further mentioned that the sub-inspector had no authority to investigate such a case under section 486-B PPC.
Sources added that on the same day, the SP awarded major punishment of reduction in rank i.e. from SI to ASI vide his office order No.PA/2823-25/SP/Sdr dated 1/10/2015 on the same allegation.
However, the CPO on complaint of the sub-inspector took stern action and snubbed the SP, sources said adding that in its order CPO mentioned, “Keeping in view the gravity of offence, the said SI has been punished by the undersigned (CPO), therefore, there was no need of punishing the accused SI twice on a single charge.
Moreover, there are number of judgments on record delivered by the apex court as well as by Lahore High Court that any officer to the rank of SP is not competent to award punishment to a sub0inspector. Only appointing authority is competent to award such punishment to an SI and the SP is not appointing authority in the case of SI.
Hence, order passed by SP Saddar Division with regard to impose punishment of reduction in rank i.e. from SI to that of ASI passed against SI Hassan Raza No.286/R is hereby set aside and he is restored to the rank of SI.”
The copy of CPO order against SP is also available with The Nation.
The CPO was not available for his comments when this correspondent tried to contact him.