PESHAWAR, Dec 7: The chief justice of Peshawar High Court, Justice Muhammad Sardar Raza, has dismissed from service additional district and sessions judge, Mardan, Taj Muhammad, after charges of corrupt practices were proved against him.

The judicial officer was accused of asking a woman to get divorce from her husband, which she did, and marrying her. Later on, he made the woman sell her house and give the money to him.

The chief justice had appointed Justice Kahlida Rachied, officer in charge in the case. The district and sessions judge, Abbottabad, Syed Mussadiq Hussain Shah was appointed inquiry officer.

The inquiry revealed that when Taj Muhammad was civil judge in Abbottabad, there was a case of a woman in his court. He allegedly got the woman to divorce her husband and married her.

He also got her a job as a teacher and made use of her monthly salary. Later, the judicial officer also married an official of the education department.

The inquiry officer observed that although marrying any woman was the judicial officer’s personal matter, he should not have heard her case in his court.

The registrar of the high court, Qalander Ali Khan, said that during the drive to clean the judiciary of corrupt elements the high court had removed four sessions and three civil judges from service.

He informed that inquiries were going on against a number of officers, and if proven guilty, they too would be terminated.

Mr Khan said that they do conduct inquiries against officers accused of corruption, but action is also taken against those who file wrong reports.