JHANG: Complainants of a theft committed at the shrine of Sufi saint Mureed Husain Shah in Pirkot Sadhana village boycotted the investigation of the case alleging that the Massan police SHO had released the accused after taking a bribe.

Complainants/caretakers Sajjad Husain Bhatti and Peer Wilayat Ali Shah alleged that SHO Mazharul Haq was falsely involving some local politicians in a bid to give cover to the bribe he had taken from the accused for his release.

However, the SHO refuted the bribe allegation and claimed that Sajjad Husain was innocent and he released him after a thorough perusal of the case.

Complainants said two brothers Sajjad Husain and Imtiaz Husain were nominated in an FIR for stealing money from the box kept at the shrine.

They said the investigation of the case was assigned toASI Zafar Chadhar who had arrested main accused Sajjad Husain about four days back. They said during investigation, the accuse d had confesse d to having stolen Rs200,000 from the shrine box. They said the accused party offered to give a cheque for the stolen amount in return to the release of the main accused, but they refused to accept it till surrendering of the second accused, Imtiaz Husain.

Complainants said the investigation was taken up by SHO Mazharul Haq without the orders from any lawful authority. They said the SHO re-summoned both the parties at the police station on Tuesday.

`We were surprised to see that the main accused, Sajjad Husain, was released unlawfully and without informing us,` they said. Upon asking about the release of the main accused, the SHO said he was under tremendous pressure from some local politicians, they said.

Complainants said the SHO also told them that he did not agree with the stolen amount confessed by the accused in the earlier investigation and would re-investigate the matter.

SHO Mazharul Haq could not give a satisfactory reply about how he would recover the stolen money from the accused.

Complainants said the devotees considered the theft at the shrine a serious matter that could create a law and order situation.