Lieutenant accused of confining businessman in lock-up illegally

Dubai: A police lieutenant has bee accused of obtaining under duress a Dh105,000 cheque from a businessman after unlawfully detaining him in a police lock-up following a commercial disagreement.

The police lieutenant, S.H., was said to have illegally confined the Indian businessman, S.D., who had struck a deal with his countryman merchant, I.S., to sell him [I.S.] and his father his trading company for Dh335,000 in March.

The father, N.S., paid Dh105,000 in cash as a down payment to buy S.D.’s company before he decided to call off the deal. When the merchant and his father asked S.D. to pay them back their money, according to records, the businessman asked them to wait.

I.S. was said to have collaborated with S.H. [the lieutenant] to summon S.D. to the police station where S.H. locked up the businessman illegally to coerce him to sign the Dh105,000 cheque and return the money he had taken as down payment.

Prosecutors accused S.H of detaining S.D. without any legal justification and obtaining the cheque from him under duress. I.S. was charged with aiding and abetting the lieutenant.

The merchant pleaded not guilty when he entered his plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

“I did not collaborate with the other suspect [S.H.],” I.S. told presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in court.

Meanwhile S.H. failed to show up before the court on time and arrived late after presiding judge Jamal had adjourned the case to hand out a ruling on November 17.

In his statement before prosecutors, S.D. testified: “The father visited my company and checked out the premises … then he gave me the down payment after he agreed to buy the company. Two days later N.S. decided to call off the deal and I asked him for some time to be able to pay him back his money. I explained to him that I had spent part of the Dh105,000 that he gave me. A week later, S.H. called me and lured me to go to the police station after he claimed that I had been involved in a traffic accident. I told him that I had my car and I did not have any accident … then he claimed that I had to go to the station. When I went there, I realised that it was because of the deal to sell the company. I explained to him the background of my deal with the merchant and his father, who had decided to call it off. He asked me to pay back the money … but I explained to him that I had agreed with N.S. to give me some time. S.H. then said that I had to pay the money instantly otherwise he would lock me up. When I told him that I did not have the money, he took away my belt and mobile phones, then locked me inside. Later two policemen took me out of confinement and to an office where I was made to sign the cheque.”

Records said the next day I.S.’ lawyer contacted S.D. and told him to pay the cheque otherwise the merchant would take legal action against him.

Thereafter the businessman discussed what had happened to him with Dubai Police’s Human Rights Section where he was advised to lodge a police complaint.