ATC summons DSP, seeks record in Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha bail case
“An ATC judge expressed anger over police failure to produce the bail case record of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, summoning the DSP and ordering him to rem…”
IISLAMABAD —An anti-terrorism court expressed strong displeasure with police officials for failing to produce the case record in the bail pleas of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha and summoned handcuffs during the hearing. The bail applications of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha were heard by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain.
The judge became angry over the absence of the investigation officer and summoned the DSP in person. Defence counsel Raja Ali said he was ready to present detailed arguments before the court. The judge, however, asked where the investigation officer was.
A court official informed him that the officer was out of the city. Expressing displeasure, Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain asked where the officer was out of the city and ordered the DSP to be called.
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He said verbal explanations would not be accepted and also summoned handcuffs and the security in-charge. When the DSP appeared before the court, the judge asked him where the case record was. The judge became angry when the DSP spoke in English and him in Urdu.
The DSP said that,, the investigation officer was out of the city. The judge questioned how the DSP had appeared without the case record and said he did not accept verbal explanations. The DSP asked for some time to provide the information, prompting the judge to demand something on the record.
The judge warned that he could send both the DSP and SP to jail for six months and expressed strong anger over the officials’ conduct.
The judge further warned the DSP that he could make him stand in the dock and send him to jail for six months in uniform if he failed to produce evidence, saying that the matter had become a “drama” and that the courts were subsequently blamed.
The DSP said the investigation officer had gone to Gilgit-Baltistan and presented a printed copy of a Whats. App message in court. The court refused to accept the copy, with Judge Abu Al-Hasnat returning it to the DSP and ordering him to produce the original document before the court.
The court ordered the DSP to remain standing in the dock and directed the security in-charge not to let him leave until the judge made a decision.
The judge also instructed the gate staff to stop the DSP from leaving and called for a judicial force capable of immediately enforcing court orders, saying that the system seemed to be operating 1898 and 1860.
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