A cryptocurrency trader was kidnapped and robbed of $340,000 (Rs90 million) in a shocking incident allegedly involving police officials in the Manghopir area on December 25.
As per reports, the victim, identified as Arsalan, a resident of North Karachi, reported that five men in civilian clothing arrived at his home in Saima Arabian Villas in an unmarked police patrol van around 1:30 am.Â
According to the FIR, the men forcibly took Arsalan to the Saddar Passport Office, where they blindfolded him, transferred funds from his cryptocurrency account to their own, reset his phone, and stole Rs8,000 in cash before abandoning him near Mazar-e-Quaid around 4 am.
Arsalan identified the accused as Muzammil, Hammad, Asher, and Zaman, stating that they had earlier approached him to purchase dollars, a request he had declined. Surveillance footage from the residential society corroborated Arsalan’s account, showing a police van entering the premises.
Police sources confirmed that evidence had been recovered linking law enforcement officials to the crime, including the police mobile used in the kidnapping and a route map tracing the suspects’ movements.
On Friday night, the Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) announced the arrest of seven suspects, including a policeman, involved in the crime. The suspects were identified as Haris Ashar, Muhammad Rizwan Shah, Tariq Hassan Shah alias Aamir, Muzammil Raza, Umar Jilani, Umar, and Noman Rifat.
Police sources further revealed that officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) were also implicated, as the police vehicle used in the abduction reportedly belonged to the CTD. The AVCC continues to investigate the involvement of additional personnel and the extent of the conspiracy.
