Police failure to release Elahi irks court

An anti-corruption court judge came down hard on jail authorities in response to non-compliance of the court order issued to release the former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi after his post-arrest bail was accepted in a case for allegedly making money in out-of-merit appointments in Punjab Assembly.

In earlier proceedings as the judge had accepted Elahi’s bail then an order was issued to release him from the jail. To which the jail authorities rather complying with it approached the court seeking further clarity in the order in response to his release.

In first round of the proceedings the judge Ali Raza summoned the issuing show-cause notices to superintendent and deputy superintendent camp jail also summoned them for explanation upon why the court’s order was not complied with.

In second round of proceedings, as the superintendent jail appeared before the court, the judge asked why the court’s order was not complied with even after issuing the “robkar”. “Police have become superior to the courts,” the judge remarked.

As the jail official parried the court’s queries, the judge expressing his displeasure remarked that if you are not in a position to understand the court’s order then leave the job. However, the judge fixed July 14 to initiate proceedings upon the show cause notices. Meanwhile, the judge also sought compliance report by the next date.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2023.