Scuffle in Karachi's DHA: Inquiry report says allegations in FIR 'not substantiated'

KARACHI: An inquiry report into a scuffle at an apartment building in Defence Housing Authority’s (DHA) Phase 6, CCTV footage of which went viral on social media, said that the allegations in the first information report (FIR) were “not substantiated” by the findings while also recommending departmental action against police officials involved in the incident, it emerged on Friday.

Last week, CCTV footage of the physical altercation between the residents of an apartment building in DHA’s Phase 6 surfaced on social media. The footage showed police officials restraining a woman as she was attacked by another woman with a dumbbell.

However, the FIR of the incident was registered against the woman who was assaulted and her brother. Subsequently, an inquiry was ordered into the incident.

The inquiry report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was submitted to the Karachi police additional inspector general by South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Zone Syed Asad Raza.

The report said that a fact-finding enquiry was conducted to ascertain the actual turn of events, determine the circumstances leading to the altercation, and examine the conduct of police officials present at the scene.

It said that all available documentary and electronic data and departmental records were scrutinised, while CCTV footage and mobile phone footage was also examined. It further said that the statements of 13 people were also recorded.

The report found that the incident was sparked by a parking dispute between the mother-in-law of Korangi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Fida Hussain Janwari and another resident.

It identified the police officials visible in the CCTV footage as constables Saqib and Haider Sultan. It further added that the plainclothes man who destroyed the CCTV camera in the footage was Constable Taimoor Ahmed, while the official who handed over his weapon for this purpose was Constable Amir Sohail.

“All were detailed for duty at the private bungalow of the Korangi SSP,” it said.

In its recommendations, the report said that the allegations registered in the FIR did not “substantiate” the findings, and directed that the case be disposed off in accordance with the law.

It also said that an FIR should be registered against the SSP’s mother-in-law and her daughter and son as well as the police officials present at the time of the incident, while the “victim family shall be encouraged to initiate legal action at free will against them”.

It further said that the on-the-spot arrests in the case without justifiable evidence by Darakshan Station House Officer Rashid Ali and Assistant Sub-inspector Aftab Mangi were not justifiable and spoke of the officials’ “tilt towards the aggressive party”.

It said that the investigating officer, identified as SIP Imran, also undertook “no serious efforts” to collect evidence and did not independently apply his mind to investigate the case.

“Hence, all three officials of District South are recommended to be strictly proceeded against departmentally for miscarriage of justice,” it said.

The report said that the actions of constables Taimoor and Amir, specifically the facilitating of one party in the fray to the detriment of the other and vandalising the CCTV camera, “far exceed the pale of lawful duty, bordering on criminal misconduct”.

It also said that constables Saqib and Haider, acting as “minions” of the perpetrators, “overlooked their basic duty as guardians of rights of people”.

“Their negligence and partisanship led to physical assault and further escalation. Had they merely intimated immediate senior or local police about the impending situation, the worse could have been averted. Strict departmental action is recommended against all four officials commensurate with their misconduct under the relevant rules,” it said.

It further said that the “lapse of supervision and lack of control over his subordinates is evident on the part of the Korangi SSP”. It called for examining his overall conduct in light of Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020 and to take further action in this regard.

The inquiry report said that police officers must be strictly advised to train and supervise cops assigned for staff duties to act lawfully and treat fellow citizens fairly and respectfully in their daily interactions with the public.

“When faced with acrimonious situations, it is their bounden duty to act lawfully and bring such matters to the notice of their immediate senior instead of taking instructions from family members who are not authorised so that such violations are avoided in the future,” the report concluded.

CCTV and FIR

In the CCTV footage of the incident, a woman can be seen rushing down a flight of stairs with a dumbbell in her hand and charging at another woman before using it to hit her.

The video also showed two individuals in what appeared to be police uniforms restraining the woman being assaulted, and a man who came up the stairs shortly after and began arguing with the woman with the dumbbell.

At one point, the man and woman being assaulted managed to go inside what appeared to be their home, following which the woman with a dumbbell and another man began banging on their door and yelling obscenities.

At the end, a man in a shalwar kameez was seen using a weapon, provided by one of the people in uniform, to smash the CCTV camera.

But the incident’s first information report (FIR) offered a different version of events. It was registered at Darakhshan police station at 1:40am on Aug 21.

The FIR seen by Dawn invoked Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 337A(i) (punishment of shajjah), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint to commit theft) and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In the FIR, the complainant described herself as a resident of the fourth floor of an apartment building, adding that a man, his sister and their mother — who resided on the third floor — came to their door and started kicking it.

The complainant alleged that the three family members hurled verbal abuses over a parking issue, and upon opening the door, began beating and threatening her.

Subsequently, local police arrived on the spot and took the brother and sister into custody, while their mother fled, the FIR said.