Institutions evade responsibility for handcuffs on Mian Javed's body

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GEO NEWS
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Pictures of deceased official's body went viral on social media on Friday with handcuffs still on, drawing severe criticism of authorities. — Geo News FILE

LAHORE: Officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Camp Jail Lahore and hospital authorities were seen on Saturday evading responsibility for the death of former official of Sargodha University, Mian Javed, whose handcuffs were still on despite his passing away.

Mian Javed was the former CEO of the university's Lahore sub-campus and was under investigation in a corruption case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Javed earlier in October along with former Sargodha University vice-chancellor Dr Mohammad Akram Chaudhry and four other university officials. 

According to the anti-corruption watchdog, the suspects were accused of receiving millions in bribes for allowing third parties to establish illegal sub-campuses.

Prison officials Friday said that Javed suffered a "cardiac arrest" under custody and was shifted to Services Hospital in Lahore where he died.

However, pictures of the deceased official's body went viral on social media with handcuffs still on, which drew severe criticism of authorities.

Suspect died under jail custody, says NAB

The anti-graft body, in a statement, said the former CEO was in jail and he died at Services Hospital in Lahore under jail custody.

The NAB chairman has issued clear directives of not to handcuff any suspect, the statement read, which is being acted upon.

The anti-corruption watchdog said the propaganda, despite an earlier explanation on the former official's death, was a conspiracy to tarnish its reputation.

'Javed was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital'

In contrast with the prison officials' claim that Javed was sent to hospital while he was alive, Services Hospital police checkpost in-charge said the suspect had already died when he was brought to hospital.

The in-charge said they kept looking for on-duty policemen for quite some time to open the handcuffs.

DIG Prisons prepares report

Malik Mubashir, deputy inspector general (DIG) Prisons of Lahore region, prepared an initial report of the incident.

The report said that prison officials handed over the suspect to police without the handcuffs, and on-duty personnel, Azam, Imran and Khalil, handcuffed Javed at the hospital.

It said the handcuffs on the deceased's body belonged to the police, noting that prison officials do not have handcuffs.

The report further quoted rescue members saying that Javed was brought from jail without the handcuffs.

Azam, in his statement, said they followed the SOP that the handcuff cannot be removed without orders from a magistrate.

Mian Javed laid to rest in Lahore

Meanwhile, funeral prayers for Mian Javed were offered on Saturday and he was laid to rest in a Lahore graveyard later in the day.

Javed's brother pointed to different in the statements of prison officials and hospital authorities. Prison officials say they shifted Javed to hospital while he was alive, whereas hospital administration says they received him dead, the brother said.

He said they would pursue the matter of his brother's death and take it to a logical end.