Adiala Jail lacks video-link facility
The apex court has taken notice of the lack of a video-link facility at the Adyala Central Jail.
The notice was taken by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC), presided over by Justice Mushir Alam, as it heard a bail plea of Rawat Union Council (UC) secretary.
The top court questioned the government's policy regarding a video-link trial.
The court observed that the provision of the video-link facility is not difficult in this modern age.
The suspect’s counsel, Khawar Shah, complained that there had been no progress in the trial of his client.
At this, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor responded that the video-link facility was not available in the Adyala Jail.
He added that the corruption watchdog wrote letters to the jail’s inspector general (IG) and the government, lamenting that no progress has been made in addressing the issue.
The prosecutor cited that video-link trials have begun in several cases.
The counsel pleaded to the court to grant bail to Javed Akhtar Chaudhry.
Many people will benefit because of your client, Justice Alam said to the counsel.
He added that the matter will be buried if the court grants bail to the UC secretary.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2020.