MUZAFFARABAD: The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) delivered its verdict in a contempt of court case against the District and Sessions Judge of Haveli.
A full bench headed by Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan announced the judgment. The court sentenced the judge to three days in prison. Police arrested the sitting judge from the courtroom immediately after the sentencing.
According to the Supreme Court’s remarks, it had previously rejected the initial bail of a suspect arrested with a large quantity of heroin on 19 January 2023. The apex court had clearly ordered that if any new evidence emerged within six months that might favour the accused, the matter should be brought back before the Supreme Court for reconsideration.
However, only a month after this order, Raja Imtiaz, then posted as Special Judge of the Anti-Narcotics Court in Haveli, acquitted the accused. The suspect subsequently fled abroad.
The Supreme Court observed that Judge Raja Imtiaz lied to the apex court by claiming he had issued no acquittal order, but the court found the signed acquittal in the official record.
The bench said that by lying to the Supreme Court, the Sessions Judge had undermined the court’s authority and insulted its dignity.
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