SC directs for departmental action against two police officers

LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday directed for departmental action against former CCPO Lahore Amin Wains and former Superintendent of Police CIA Umar Virk, accused of forcing sale of properties belonging to a deceased citizen at below market prices, in the light of an inquiry report into the matter.

The two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar passed the orders while hearing the matter at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.

A widow of deceased Sheikh Ajmal had filed application accusing the police officers of selling business entities of his husband through a forced agreement between the claimants.

At the outset of proceedings, Inspector General of Sindh Police (IG) Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, who was till recently the IG Punjab, submitted an inquiry report and stated that both officers were found guilty of misconduct and recommendation had been made for a departmental action against them as they exercised their influence in the matter.

Advocate Zafar Iqbal Kalanauri, the petitioner's counsel, submitted that retired justice Hamid Ali Shah also played role of an arbitrator for the sale. The bench was also apprised about various claimants (Investors) including former chief engineer Shaukat Shaheen to the business/properties.

At this, the chief justice observed that Inspector General of Police Punjab should decide whether these officers be removed. The matter was related to two parties, how police get involve in it, he added.

Subsequently, the bench sought tax record of the claimants from the Federal Investigation Agency to know whether their record confirms their claims or not and restrained former justice Hamid Ali Shah from interfering in the matter.

The chief justice also expressed reservations over the involvement of Umar Virk in all such matters and observed that why not an inquiry of his whole service be ordered.

The chief justice directed Additional Inspector General of Police Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh to nominate an appropriate officer for the purpose.

Fauzia Ajmal, had previously stated that Wains and Virk had used their influence to get a decision in the favour of her rival parties regarding the transfer of the property of her late husband, Sheikh Ajmal.

Ajmal had owned the Akbari departmental stores located in Kashmir and Hunza blocks of Lahore's Iqbal Town, West Wood Colony and Jain Mandir. The complainant had said several people claimed their share in the properties, including sons from first wife of deceased husband, his partner and over a 100 other people.

She suffered huge financial losses due to the "dubious financial transactions" to the so-called shareholders, Fauzia had alleged.