SHC Directs IGP To Post Law Graduates In Police Teams As IOs

shc

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on 11 July 2024 directed the provincial inspector general of police to post newly recruited law graduates in the investigation teams of all police stations in Karachi as investigation officers (IOs).

During a hearing of the bail application of Zulfiqar Ali in a rape case, a single bench headed by Justice Amjad Ali Sahito observed that investigations in different cases were not being conducted properly, allowing accused individuals to exploit the system as a result.

The additional prosecutor general submitted that law graduate police officers were being appointed in the Karachi region as investigation officers. However, he noted that these law graduate officers could not be appointed to all police stations in Karachi.

The court directed the IGP to ensure the posting of newly recruited law graduate police officers in police stations and the investigation department and submit a compliance report.

The crime and investigation DIG also filed a compliance report, stating that all possible efforts were being taken to improve the investigation system in Karachi as well as in other districts of the province.

He reported that 3,969 cases were registered in 2022, 4,160 cases in 2023, and 2,091 cases of rape and sexual offences were registered in 2024. He emphasized that it is not possible to investigate all these cases with teams consisting of only three police officers.

He explained that the notification regarding dealing with scheduled offence cases was modified later, categorizing such cases into schedule-I and schedule-II, which can be investigated by a joint team or an individual investigation officer. He also sought modification of the court’s order to the extent of action against police officers.

The court, after taking the report on record, directed the IGP to post newly recruited law graduates in the investigation teams of police stations in Karachi and submit a compliance report on the next hearing date.

The court had earlier observed that rape and sexual offence cases are investigated by the special sexual offence investigation unit, which was established by the then IGP in all districts of the province, comprising three police officers: a DSP, an inspector, and a sub-inspector.

The court had directed the DIG to explain non-compliance with such a policy, noting that in the instant case, the investigation was conducted by only a sub-inspector, without the involvement of the other two team members (a DSP and an inspector), which was a clear violation of the notification issued by the IGP in pursuance of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021.

Published in News Daily on 12-July-2024

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