SANGHAR: The main suspect in an alleged Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) deduction scam died in police custody in Sanghar on Thursday, prompting allegations of custodial torture from his family and raising fresh concerns over the investigation into corruption in the country’s flagship social welfare program.
The deceased, identified as Abdullah Lander, son of Khuda Bakhsh, had been arrested by Sanghar police three days earlier along with his alleged accomplices, Sohail Khaskheli and Dilip Megwar, on charges of illegally deducting money from BISP beneficiaries while distributing payments through a biometric device.
A local court had placed the suspects on a 14-day physical remand to allow investigators to probe the alleged embezzlement.
According to the police, Abdullah Lander’s health deteriorated during interrogation, after which he was shifted to a hospital for medical treatment. Police said the suspect died while receiving medical assistance.
However, the deceased’s heirs rejected the police’s account, alleging that Abdullah Lander was subjected to severe torture during his detention and died as a result of the injuries inflicted while in custody.
Following the incident, the area magistrate reached the hospital, recorded statements from the deceased’s family members and ordered a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
The custodial death comes amid a widening crackdown on alleged financial irregularities in the Benazir Income Support Program after an audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan reportedly uncovered corruption and embezzlement involving billions of rupees.
The audit findings triggered widespread public outrage and intensified demands for accountability, prompting law enforcement and other relevant agencies to launch operations against individuals allegedly involved in illegally deducting funds meant for low-income beneficiaries. Multiple arrests have been reported from different parts of the country in recent weeks.
However, sources familiar with the investigations claimed that while arrests are being made, efforts are also allegedly underway in some quarters to erase evidence linked to the alleged scam. The claims could not be independently verified, and no official statement has been issued regarding the allegation.
The post-mortem report is expected to play a key role in determining the circumstances surrounding Abdullah Lander’s death, while authorities have yet to announce whether an independent inquiry into the custodial death will be conducted.
