Policeman accused of taking bribes from Pinky may return to service: sources

• Constable previously accused of facilitating Pinky network.
• He was tasked by senior officers to trace suspect.
• Policeman dismissed after internal inquiry, reports.
  

KARACHI: A police constable previously dismissed over allegations of taking bribes from Anmol alias Pinky is likely to be reinstated after he played a ‘key role’ in the arrest of the suspect, sources told Truth Wire.

The constable, who was tasked by senior officers to trace Pinky, reportedly played a key role in locating Pinky within a week after being assigned the task by senior officers, the sources privy to the development said.

Pinky was arrested from her apartment in Karachi’s Garden area last week on the charges of “running” a drug network, according to the police. However, the suspect denied the claim, alleging that she was detained in Lahore 15 days before being transferred to Karachi.

The authorities said that weapons, cocaine, and other drugs worth around Rs1.5 million were recovered from her possession, adding that she was allegedly running a drug supply network in the port city. Besides narcotics, the suspect is also facing murder charges and is currently in police custody on physical remand.

The sources added that the arrest was carried out based on information provided by the same personnel. The sources further claimed that the constable had for a long time been an alleged facilitator for Pinky and was accused of receiving large sums of money.

However, following internal investigations and confidential reports, strict action had earlier been taken against him, and he was dismissed from service.

Despite the past allegations, officials are now considering his reinstatement, the sources added.

A day earlier, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho said that several prominent names could emerge during investigations into the Pinky case.

The Sindh IGP said that a task force was being constituted, asking the public to come forward and testify in court.

Judicial remand set aside

Meanwhile, the South District and Sessions Court set aside the verdict of a duty magistrate — that sent the suspect to jail on judicial remand against the police’s request for a physical remand in the case registered at Garden Police Station.

The investigating officer submitted two review pleas and maintained that the duty magistrate had granted physical remand in the case, while in other cases, she was sent to judicial custody in jail.

The court was told that the duty magistrate issued confusing and contradictory orders regarding the accused, leading to legal complications. The court observed that the magistrate’s confusing order amounted to an unlawful act.

The court ruled that the earlier order sending the accused to judicial remand be declared void. It further ruled that Pinky be deemed to be on physical remand until May 17.