PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday summoned Nowshera`s district police officer (DPO) and two other police officials over a petition about a man`s alleged custodial torture and illegal confinement for three days.

A bench consisting of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Syed Arshad Ali fixed Feb 28 for next hearing into the petition filed by Peshawar resident Saqibur Rehman directing the DPO, the SHO of Azakhel police station, the head of the Pashtoon Garhi police post in Nowshera, and complainant in a theft case Fida Mohammad.

The petitioner requested the court to declare his detention and torture by the police illegaland order the provincialinspector general of police to take disciplinaryaction against the relevant police officers.

Khalid Anwar Afridi, lawyer for the petitioner, said that his client was a law-abiding citizen, belonged to Azakhel area in Nowshera and currently lived in Hayatabad area of Peshawar.

He said that the personnel of the Azakhel police station raided the petitioner`s house on Feb 10 and took him into custody before shifting him to the Pashtoon Garhi police post the same day.

The lawyer said that his client was illegally kept at the police post until Feb 13 and was severely tortured during that period.

He said that on the repeated requests of the petitioner, the police had informed him that he had been arrested in connection with a theft at the residence of the complainant and his uncle, Fida Mohammad.The counsel said that the family members of the petitioner continued to search for him through his mobile phone, which was switched off, and the complainant informed them about his detention afterwards.

He said that when the petitioner`s father approached the SHO and head of the police post, both denied denying his son.

Mr Afridi said that the theft had taken place on Feb 7 and the same day, a family function was organised at the residence of the petitioner.

He added that the same day, the petitioner was asked by the complainant to visit the village to take him to that function.

The lawyer said that when the complainant returned home, he found out that someone had broken into his house and stolen valuables, including cash and jewellery.