Call me, maybe: Five Rawalpindi police officials transferred for alleged harassment

RAWALPINDI: Five police officials have been transferred after being accused of blackmailing female litigants at the Rawalpindi district courts. Two of the cops happen to be women police officials. While frisking women visiting the courts, the two female constables would ask them to document their mobile numbers, “for security reasons”. Three days ago, a female litigant informed her lawyer that she received a phone call from an unknown number. The person on the other end of the line offered her a victory in the ongoing court case, and also demanded to meet in the evening. The woman, S*, told The Express Tribune that the caller introduced himself as a sessions judge. “The caller made me an offer — that he will decide the case in my favour. He also asked me to meet him in the evening to discuss the matter,” she said. When her lawyer learnt of this, he informed the president of Rawalpindi District Bar Association (RDBA). A team of lawyers started looking into the unusual claim, during the course of which they went to the security cell near the lower court’s main entrance, where police constables would perform their duty. The team, led by RDBA Secretary Junaid Akhtar Khokar, found a register containing the cell phone numbers of over 250 women. The team informed RDBA President Raja Nasir Mehmood, who brought the issue to the attention of a district and sessions judge. The judge handed over the register to the city police officer (CPO) and ordering him to investigate and take stern action against the constables. The Express Tribune also learnt that the caller would first research a woman’s family background and then modify his offer on a case-by-case basis. At least 40 women have received such calls, said Mehmood. “They would definitely abuse these innocent women,” he said. These calls were made from unregistered SIMs to minimise chances of being traced. CPO Humayun Bashir Tarar admitted that the five cops were transferred but denied that it prompted by their involvement in the scam. “A similar case occurred in Sheikhupura, where a man involved in a similar crime was arrested,” he said. The police are investigating and will interrogate the accused personnel, he added. The phone numbers of almost all the complainants were in the register, so their involvement cannot be ruled out, said the lawyers’ team. “Through what coincidence did the fraudsters get so many numbers which happen to be listed in that register? It looks like one of the constables either provided the numbers or was the actual perpetrator,” they said. Mehmood added that as far as they knew, the constables had been suspended. If they were only transferred in response to the crime, the CPO should have informed them. Some court officials are also believed to be involved in the scandal, he said. If they are found guilty, strict action will be taken against them. Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2014.