HYDERABAD, Sept 21: Justice Amir Hani Muslim of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, observed on Thursday that policemen should remain within their limits while dealing with cases, and must not assume the mantle of a judge.

He made these remarks while hearing a contempt of court application filed by Mohammad Akbar Khanzada against the SHO of Sakrand, Mohammad Ashfaque Bajwa.

When the SHO told the court that action under section 182 PPC was taken against Khanzada on the orders of the civil judge and FMC after his (Khanzada’s) FIR was disposed of as the B-class (proved false), Justice Muslim posed the question to the SHO as to in how many cases he had taken action under section 182 PPC against other complainants in case of registration of a false FIR.

Khanzada had filed a contempt of court application informing the court that his petition was disposed of by the court after the police had undertaken not to harass him. The applicant said that on May 27 the respondent police officials had filed a statement through state counsel Masood A. Noorani that they would not harass him in any manner and if any action was taken, it would be in accordance with the law.

He said that after the petition had been disposed of, the respondents continued to harass him and his family members so much so that in his absence his son, Adil Khan, was picked up by the police and kept in wrongful confinement for three days.

He maintained that his house had been raided repeatedly, in violation of the High Court order of May 27. He added that he had remained in hiding as the police officials had asked him to close his transport business or else his company would be forcibly closed. He said the police were trying to arrest him and deprive him of his source of livelihood. The court had issued notices to respondent police officials.

The SHO appeared before the court, informing it that since action under section 182 PPC was taken against the applicant, he had filed the contempt of court application.

The SHO, in his statement, said that neither the applicant nor his son had been harassed by him or the DPO, Nawabshah, and the allegations levelled against them were false.

The judge adjourned the matter till Sept 29, with the directives to the applicant’s counsel to file a counter-affidavit.