OK ARA: A Haveli police station house officer and head moharrar were booked for allegedly torturing a senior official of the fisheries department, Sahiwal, after he attempted to lodge a complaint against the SHO.
According to the first information report (FIR), Deputy Director Fisheries (DDF) Yasir Ali, who is currently in charge of Head Sulemanki on the Sutlej River, was conducting surveillance against illegal fishing during the closed season under the Punjab Fisheries Ordinance, 1961.
On July 20, the DDF, accompanied by fisheries watchers Faisal and Zain, inspected the proposed Water Biodiversity Hatchery before reaching the fish ladder at Head Sulemanki.
There, they found an illegally installed fishing trap containing live fish.
The fish were released back into the river, while the trap was seized. The alleged owners of the trap were later identified with the assistance of the irrigation department.
The complainant then went to Haveli police station to submit an application for registration of a case against the suspected violators. However, according to the FIR, officials at the front desk refused to receive the application, and Head Moharrar Farrukh allegedlydeclined to entertain the complaint and insulted the fisheries officials.
The FIR states that SHO Saeed Ahmad Bhatti later called the DDF to his office, where he allegedly slapped him, handcuffed him, confined him in the police lock-up and subjected him to severe torture. The complainant alleged that the SHO subjected him to inhuman treatment with a shoe, causing bleeding. His wallet and mobile phone were allegedly snatched, and a video of the torture was recorded. He was also allegedly forced to apologise for attempting to file a complaint against the SHO.
Meanwhile, other fisheries officials left the police station and informed Assistant Director Fisheries Bashir Ahmad in Okara. The matter was also reported to the fisheries secretary and the Okara deputy commissioner. Later, DSP (Dipalpur Circle) Saood Anwar along with assistant directors of the fisheries department from Okara Sahiwal and Dipalpur reached the police station.
After more than two hours of alleged unlawful detention, the complainant was released. He later obtained a medicolegal certificate from a local hospital.
On the complaint of Deputy Director Fisheries Yasir Ali, police registered a case against SHO Saeed Ahmad Bhatti and Head Moharrar Farrukh under Sections 342 and 337-F(i) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), as well as Section 155-C of the Police Order, 2002.