Wrongful arrest: SSP, two other cops face contempt charges
Petitioner’s son was arrested despite restraining order.
Saleema Bibi had previously filed petitions in the LHC against the police for the alleged murder of nine family members in 'encounters. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued contempt notices to SSP (Operations) Rana Abdul Jabbar and two other police officers for arresting a man in violation of a court order.
The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Saleema Bibi, a resident of Sabzazar, stating that the Gulberg police had arrested her son Rizwan on the basis of an FIR for a murder and dacoity.
She said that the FIR was registered against unidentified persons and a court had issued a restraining order barring the police from arresting her son in this matter, but they had done so anyway.
She sought contempt proceedings against the police officials.
Saleema Bibi had previously filed petitions, still pending, in the LHC against the police for the alleged murder of nine family members in “encounters”, a term often used as a euphemism for extra-judicial killings.
The SSP appeared before the court along with Inspector Muhammad Ashfaq and Sub Inspector Rasheed Ahmad on Thursday and admitted that he had ordered Rizwan’s arrest.
However, the judge found that the SSP was unable to justify the arrest in the presence of a restraining order.
The court issued notices to the SSP, the inspector and the sub inspector for contempt and appointed Deputy Prosecutor General Awais Mazhar as prosecutor in the case to frame charges against them.
The court adjourned the hearing till Friday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2013.
The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued contempt notices to SSP (Operations) Rana Abdul Jabbar and two other police officers for arresting a man in violation of a court order.
The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Saleema Bibi, a resident of Sabzazar, stating that the Gulberg police had arrested her son Rizwan on the basis of an FIR for a murder and dacoity.
She said that the FIR was registered against unidentified persons and a court had issued a restraining order barring the police from arresting her son in this matter, but they had done so anyway.
She sought contempt proceedings against the police officials.
Saleema Bibi had previously filed petitions, still pending, in the LHC against the police for the alleged murder of nine family members in “encounters”, a term often used as a euphemism for extra-judicial killings.
The SSP appeared before the court along with Inspector Muhammad Ashfaq and Sub Inspector Rasheed Ahmad on Thursday and admitted that he had ordered Rizwan’s arrest.
However, the judge found that the SSP was unable to justify the arrest in the presence of a restraining order.
The court issued notices to the SSP, the inspector and the sub inspector for contempt and appointed Deputy Prosecutor General Awais Mazhar as prosecutor in the case to frame charges against them.
The court adjourned the hearing till Friday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2013.