PESHAWAR: Links with timber smugglers led to suspension of four police officials here on Friday.

The suspended cops included a station house officer Jahanzeb, additional station house officer Mohammad Yousuf, investigation officer Maqsood Shah, and an Elite Force constable Waqar Ahmad.

According to a statement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IGP Nasir Khan Durrani has also ordered a departmental inquiry into the matter.

It was stated that the action was taken following a complaint of a sub-divisional forest officer, Abbottabad, to the IGP that he along with forest staff was going to arrest timber smugglers, but constable Waqar Ahmad of Elite Force and his colleagues rescued the smugglers.

`They (the policemen) beat us up, broke lights of vehicles of forest department, and kidnapped some of the forestofficials present on the spot,` said the complainant, adding the cops also hit his driver with butts of Kalashnikovs and fists.

The forest officer said when he came to the Nawan Sher police station for registration of FIR in this connection additional station house officer Mohammad Yousuf and SHO Jehanzeb intentionally delayed the process of FIR in order to weaken the case.

Later, he said the investigation officer of the case, Maqsood Shah, also didn`t take interest in the case, thus trying to benefit the accused.

The forest official in his complaint alleged that all the police officials were hand in glove with the timber smugglers. The police chief through the DIG investigations confirmed the allegations, and suspended the policemen.Bureau Report