Islampura police ‘arrested’ a court naib of an additional district and sessions judge after an assistant sub inspector was slapped by a lawyer outside a courtroom, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Islampura police, however, did not have a police record of the arrest. A police official requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune that the Islampura police had called the naib to the police station. He said that he had been detained in the police lock-up. He said the matter between the naib court and the complainant was being settled outside of court.
ASI Muhammad Dildar stated in the FIR that Muhammad Qaisar had made several calls to him to say Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Tariq Mehmood Zargham had directed him to appear before the court. The ASI had said that he was busy at the Lahore High Court and would come in a few hours.
He said, Muhammad Younas, a lawyer, slapped him before he could enter the courtroom. The ASI said it appeared that he had been called to the court only to be slapped. The ASI also registered an FIR against the lawyer.
Earlier, Younas had filed a petition seeking to register a case. The judge had directed the Faisal Town SHO to record the petitioner’s version. The lawyer said he had approached the police station but the ASI did not cooperate with him.
Younas later filed a compliance petition seeking strict action against the ASI. Younas said he was humiliated and detained him at the police station for several hours.
The judge then sought comments from the ASI, but two to three hearings had gone by without his appearance. The judge then directed the naib to ask the ASI to ensure his appearance.
The ASI approached Islampura police and registered a case against the lawyer and the naib court. He said the naib had called him to the court knowing that he would be attacked.
Younas told The Express Tribune that the allegation was false.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2014.