Daily Times

FAISALABAD: The Faisalabad investigation police officers have opened a case of ‘police poor investigation, weak challan and lack of solid proof.’

It is based on a report that states that during the last 10 years, as many as 6,076 accused of various cases have been honorably acquitted by the courts. The report claims that the reasons behind it were poor police work, such as flawed investigation, weak challan and lack of availability of solid proofs’.

Those who were honorably acquitted include accused in murder, honor killing, robbery, betrayal of trust, and bogus check cases. The Faisalabad district police officials have sent a report to the Inspector General of Punjab Police detailing the acquittal of the accused from the courts during the last 10 years.

According to the report released by the police, 369 accused involved in the murder cases were acquitted. Similarly, 551 accused of robbery, 277 accused of rape, and 144 accused involved in robbery cases were also acquitted. At the same time, nine accused of honor killings, 1,658 suspects of giving bogus checks, and 724 accused of preparing fake papers were also acquitted by courts. Similarly, nine accused involved in child abduction cases for ransom and 1083 accused involved in violation of section 144 were acquitted. At the same time, 11 accused of the child labor act and 1,241 accused of betrayal of trust were also acquitted.

According to sources, the Faisalabad police department, like other districts, has a separate investigation department under which an investigation in charge of Inspector or Sub-Inspector rank is posted in each police station responsible for investigating the cases of this police station.

A DSP is posted at the circle level for checks and balances, after which the investigation matters are monitored by a superintendent of police (SP) at the town level.  After that, the investigation SSP is exclusively responsible for all investigative matters, and its subordinates are also in charge of overseeing the investigation of five DSP Investigation cases.

According to sources, since the investigation of cases is a technical matter, the investigation of all police stations is assigned to officers who are specially trained in investigative matters. Even after that, they are given various refresher courses to investigate cases that can be brought to a logical conclusion. Similarly, all investigating officers are paid a fair amount for the investigation of each case, which is called the cost of the investigation.

The investigating officers receive all the money for these expenses after completing the investigation of their cases. Thus, the Punjab Police spends millions of rupees annually to investigate cases and convict the accused, which is now in question.

Despite the existence of this investigative system of the district police, inadequate investigation of such a large number of cases, non-collection of solid evidence, and weak challans have become a question mark.

The report also said that poor police investigation, weak challenges, unavailability of solid evidence, and the deviation of witnesses and the benefit of the doubt were among the major reasons for the honorable acquittal of the accused.

ACTION: City Assistant Commissioner Syed Ayub Bukhari took action against butchers and chicken sellers for overcharging mutton, beef, and chicken and registered a case against nine shopkeepers besides imposing a heavy fine on butchers. He checked butcher and chicken shops throughout the city areas on public complaints and arrested the profiteers for violating. He said the overcharging of essential items and meat would not be tolerated, and violators will be behind bars. Assistant Commissioner City also sealed a swimming pool for violating corona SOPs on Narwala Road near Jawad Club.