Former SHO jailed for five years in illegal detention case

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: The Naushahro Feroze antiterrorism court on Saturday sentenced a police officer to five years in jail for keeping a man in illegal custody and subjecting a judicial magistrate to death threats.

According to the prosecution, Inspector Niaz Mirani, kept Arbab Solangi in illegal custody in April 2012 when he was posted as the SHO of the Mohabbat Dero police station. The victim’s brother, Mumtaz Solangi, and Kandiaro Judicial Magistrate Ilmuddin Janwari, lodged two FIRs (48/2012 and 49/2012) on April 13, 2012 against the SHO under the relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Mumtaz Solangi also submitted an application in the Naushahro Feroze sessions court for the release of his brother and return of some valuable articles allegedly snatched by the SHO. The court appointed JM Janwari the raid commissioner who eventually got Arbab Solangi released.

The magistrate said that during the raid, the SHO turned his gun and hurled death threats at him.

ATC Judge Manzoor Ahmad Qazi on Saturday said in his ruling that the court found Niaz Mirani guilty of the offences and the prosecution had successfully pleaded its case.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2016