In a rare development in the judicial history, a District and Sessions Judge was awarded 3 days imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday and was arrested from the court room.
A full bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan was proceeding on a contempt notice against Raja Imtiaz Khan former District and Sessions Judge Haveeli under suspension who allegedly acquitted an accused of narcotics smuggling despite rejection of his bail pleas from lower to higher courts and in violation of the directives of the apex court.
Earlier, the judge was suspended by the High Court on the directives of Supreme Court when the matter came to the knowledge of the apex court and contempt proceeding was initiated against him besides a misconduct inquiry by the High Court. The judge was found guilty of misleading the court and defying the clear directions of the apex court in the said case upon that sentenced to jail for 3 days imprisonment and was arrested from the court room. The narcotics accused Dalawar Khan acquitted by the imprisoned judge had already fled abroad soon after the acquittal.