Police abusing authority by conducting illegal raids: SC judge

The Punjab police have received a dressing down by the Supreme Court for spying their own employee and thrown out a petition filed by the IG police seeking dismissal of a constable, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Monday heard a petition filed by Punjab IG police challenging the decision of the Lahore High Court which restored Constable Muhammad Aslam who was dismissed on the charges of misconduct.

At the outset of the hearing, Punjab additional advocate general told the court that Constable Muhammad Aslam was found involved in the immoral activities with a woman.

The chief justice remarked that the woman claimed that the constable was her husband.

But the AAG contested the assertion saying that the woman was a prostitute. He said that the police were tipped about the constable and they followed him and raided a house in which he entered.

Chief Justice Isa expressed his disgust over the police action remarking: “Do the Punjab police spy on their own officials to know who spends his night in whose house?”

Justice Athar Minallah asked how the police could raid a private house without a warrant. He remarked that police were abusing their authority by conducting illegal raids. He wondered if the Supreme Court should endorse the illegal action of the police.

Then the chief justice asked the AAG who was standing behind him.

The AAG said that he was SP Investigation, Bahawalnagar.

CJP Isa then reprimanded the SP Investigation. He asked him, “Is the crime rate zero in Bahawalnagar today as you prefer to come to the court yourself for a minor case? What is the personal interest of the SP Investigation in this case? How far is Bahawalnagar from Islamabad?”

The AAG replied that Bahawalnagar is 700 km away from Islamabad.

“Have the police officers come at their own expense or will they take TA/DA from the government,” the chief justice inquired.

The AAG told the court that according to police officers, they have instructions that they should personally appear in cases to be heard in the Supreme Court Room No 1.

The chief justice remarked that the presence of the police officers in the court was giving an impression as if it were a case of extreme importance.

Saying this, the chief justice dismissed the Punjab IG police’s petition and upheld the decision of the Lahore High Court.

 

Reporter Amanat Gishkori