Pakistan: 2 policemen among seven charged in foreigners' kidnapping case

Two policemen among seven people have been charged for helping criminals in kidnapping three Nigerian nationals for ransom in relation to international narcotics smuggling deals.

According to Pakist Dawn, the anti-Violent Crime Cell detained and booked Haji M. Saleem, Adeeb Shah, Jan Mohammad alias J, Ali Nawaz Zehri and Dilbar Malano for allegedly kidnapping three foreigners as 'security against payment for international drug deals'.

The cell also arrested and booked the then SHO of Defence Sub-inspector Mohammad Ali Niazi, the then station investigation officer Inspector Waseem Abro for handing over the foreigners to the suspects against Pakist Rs 7 million ransom instead of handing over their custody to the relevant consulate following their recovery from the custody of private persons.

This was disclosed in an investigation filed with the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts in a case pertaining to the kidnapping of three Nigerians in 2020 in Karachi for ransom.

It stated that three Nigerians identified as Oguchi, Armica and Lucky, were kept in private custody of Nusrat in a bungalow in DHA's Phase-7.

In their statements recorded, the foreigners had named the private suspects for kidnapping them and demanding ransom from their families for their release.

However, the charge-sheet stated that the then SHO of Defence Niazi and SIO Abro instead of handing over their custody to the Nigerian consulate handed them back to the private suspects and received Rs 7 million from them at a restaurant in the Do Darya area.

The charge-sheet further stated that the private suspects had reportedly released a kidnapped person, Oguchi, upon receiving a huge amount of ransom from his family, but they had still kept two other men in their custody.

( With inputs from ANI )