Four cops arrested for ‘taking bribe’ from cricketer Sohaib Maqsood

Four police officers were arrested and two others were suspended on Tuesday after cricketer Sohaib Maqsood claimed that while travelling from Karachi to Multan by road, he was stopped by the police who demanded bribe to allow his vehicle to travel on a highway.

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Riffat Raja took notice of the incident and directed Shaheed Benazirabad police to conduct an immediate inquiry into the matter.

In a post on micro-blogging site X, Sohaib Maqsood criticised the Sindh police, branding them as "corrupt".

“We are so lucky that we live in Punjab, not in Sindh. For the first time in my life, I am travelling from Karachi to Multan by road and Sindh police is so corrupt that they stop you after 50 km and ask for money or they threaten to take you to the police station for no reason,” he wrote.

We are so lucky that we live In Punjab not in Sindh first time in my life I am travelling from Karachi to Multan by Road and sindh police is so corrupt that they stop you after 50 km and ask for money or they threat you to go to the police station for no reason if you give them

— Sohaib Maqsood (@sohaibcricketer) November 27, 2023

Sohaib said the incident took place near Sakrand. “We informed them that we are international cricketers travelling to Multan after our match in Karachi, they still took Rs8,000 from us before letting us proceed,” he added.

money then they will stop you again after 50 km and ask for money again corruption at it’s peak in sindh police 🙏🏻
We told them that we are international cricketers travelling to multan after our match in Karachi they still took 8000 thousand rupees and then let us go it will

— Sohaib Maqsood (@sohaibcricketer) November 27, 2023

According to media reports, four personnel involved in the incident had been arrested. “The officers were on patrol along a Sakrand road when the incident took place,” DIG Shaheed Benizarabad District Pervaiz Chandio said, as reported by Dawn.com.

“They have confessed to receiving Rs3,000 from Sohaib Maqsood as a fine for using a fancy number plate and beam lights.”

The officer said the police officers had no authority to levy fines as this responsibility rested with traffic cops. He said two senior officials from Sakrand police station, including an SHO, had also been suspended over their negligence.