Two personnel of the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) were suspended on Tuesday over charges of kidnapping and harassment of Daily Jang reporter Mohammed Nadeem the previous afternoon.
According to CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Asif Ejaz Sheikh, the reporter and another person were taken in custody from a public transport point near the racecourse and brought to the CTD Civil Lines police station.
The DIG said that CTD Senior Superintendent of Police Imran Shaukat conducted a preliminary inquiry, on the basis of which two personnel, Zainul Abideen and Kalay Khan, were suspended “pending further inquiry into their conduct”.
Sharing details of the findings, DIG Sheikh said that on March 11 at around 3:30pm, the two police constables of the CTD’s Intelligence Wing brought Nadeem and Muhammad Riaz to the CTD complex as suspects.
Sheikh said Zainul Abideen claimed that his cell phone was stolen from a bus when he was on his way to the office on January 29, adding that the constable had reported the theft to the Frere police the same day.
DIG Sheikh said the suspended policemen informed the inquiry officer that while travelling in the same bus on March 11 at 3:30pm, he had noticed “two suspects” who he believed might have originally stolen his cell phone.
At the CTD complex, the police officer was informed that the matter did not pertain to counter-terrorism and the suspects should be taken to the Frere police station since the matter was originally reported there.
Sheikh said that during the interrogation, Nadeem explained that he was not a criminal and instead worked for the Daily Jang newspaper. The DIG added that Nadeem was allowed to leave the CTD guard room after the verification of his press credentials.
The other suspect was taken to Frere police station and also released after “due diligence” at 7pm.
DIG Sheikh said the inquiry officer for the matter has established contact the journalist to ascertain fact regarding the matter.