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KARACHI, Aug 16: The Sindh High Court indicted on Monday two police officials for whisking off a freed detainee after roughing up his counsel within its premises about two years ago.
Robin Piranditta was the only survivor of an assault on the office of Idara Amn-o-Insaf, a non-governmental organization of Christians for protecting human and minority rights, at Rimpa Plaza, Jinnah Road, in September 2002.
He was taken into custody by the police and his wife moved a petition for his production and release. Police said it had taken Piranditta into protective custody as he was the only eye-witness. However, no progress in investigation was made after his prolonged detention and interrogation.
An SHC division bench ordered his release on Oct 22, 2002. As he was leaving the court premises with his counsel, Advocates Noor Naz Agha and Syed Ghulam Shah, a police party, led by CIA DSP Qasim Ghauri and investigation officer Tasarrud Mahmood, caught hold of Piranditta and roughed up the two lawyers and Advocates Ali Bin Adam Jafri and Asifa Rizvi. When the lawyers complained to the bench, it asked them to initiate contempt proceedings.
The contempt petition came up before another division bench, comprising Justices Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Sadiq Leghari, on Monday. The bench framed the charges against the contemners and asked the advocate-general to prosecute the contempt case. Further proceedings were adjourned to a date in office. Advocates Rashid A. Rizvi, Noor Naz Agha and Syed Ghulam Shah appeared for the petitioners.
CONSULATE BUILDING: The Sindh High Court adjourned on Monday the hearing of a suit against the allegedly violative structure being raised to house the Japanese consulate to enable the plaintiff to file objections to the inspection report submitted by the court nazir.
In his report, the nazir said he visited the site as directed by the court, but found no violation of the building rules. The compulsory open space, cut-line and setback were in accordance with the approved plan.
However, the compulsory open space was much less than the one prescribed by the building regulations, but it carried the approval of the Karachi Building Control Authority.
The KBCA, meanwhile, submitted its counter-affidavit through Advocate Shahid Jamil Khan. It asserted that the structure was being raised in conformity with the approved plan but it was against the KBCA rules and regulations and policy to issue a copy of the plan "to any person who is not lawfully authorized to obtain the same".
The building plan, particularly that of a diplomatic mission, it said, was a "confidential document" and could not even be shown to "any person" except with the permission of the competent authority of the KBCA or that of the guest country concerned.
The plaintiffs, M/s Chaman Investment, have complained through Advocate Faisal Kamal Alam that the structure obstructed unhindered access to their business premises and in the absence of a copy of the approved plan, its ultimate contours were not known.
Justice S. Ali Aslam Jafri, who is seized of the plaint, adjourned further proceedings to Sept 8 at the request of the plaintiff's counsel for filing of objections to the nazir's report.
NOTICE ISSUED: Justice Azizullah M Memon of the Sindh High Court on Monday issued notice to Shahid Alam, Nazim of Orangi Town, on an application submitted by the state seeking cancellation of his bail, adds PPI.
