ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday recorded the statement of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry in the contempt of court case against him. A three-member bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmad, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Faisal Arab, after recording the statement of Talal Chaudhry under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) adjourned the hearing till Wednesday. The court directed Talal to present his witnesses on the next hearing. Deputy attorney general, who is a prosecutor in the case, appeared before the court on notice. Senior advocate Kamran Murtaza appeared for Talal Chaudhry. In his statement, Talal requested the court to withdraw the charges of contempt of court against him by not casting doubts on his intentions about the dignity of the court. He stated that he faces no allegation of prejudicing any matter pending before the court. He further stated that he honestly believed that he had neither uttered anything nor acted in a manner which might be construed as causing obstruction of the process of the court in any way, or that any order of the court had been disobeyed. He said in past he made good number of speeches, but he was not even served any legal notice by any institution. To a query by Justice Gulzar Ahmad that ‘had you said that PCO idols were sitting in the court’, Talal didn’t deny, however said the whole sentence should be read to make the context clear. To another query that ‘tone of your speeches and words were against the court and whether this tone and words did not warrant contempt of court, Talal stated, “I didn’t commit any contempt of court, instead I honour the court.” “Would you get the statement of Section 342 CrPC recorded under oath,” Justice Gulzara Ahmad asked Talal, who stated that he was required to consult his counsel over it. “No need to consult, as you are getting the statement of Section 342 CrPC recorded,” Justice Gulzar Ahmad said. To another court query that ‘was it correct that his speeches were made to the public gatherings’, Talal said the statement of May 24, 2017, was not a speech to the public gathering, rather it was a press talk. He contended that his press talk was edited with malafide intention and many of his sentences were removed from the actual substance to make it controversial. He stated that his January 27, 2018, speech was not against any of the judge. He contended that the video of his speech that was kept on record was also edited with malafide to spoil the actual and original context of his speech. He said he had stated in his speech that he too honoured ‘Baba Rehmtay’ [Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar]. Published in Daily Times, May 22nd2018.