Islamabad - The Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday that no government official has been found responsible for placing defamatory banners and posters against a former judge of the apex court.
Deputy Attorney General Sajid Illyas Bhatti submitted a report before the court on behalf of Islamabad police and said that the police had completed the investigation into the matter. The banners in question contained defamatory and slanderous allegations against former chief justice Jawwad S Khawaja.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal directed former president Lahore High Court Bar Association, Rawalpindi bench to go through the report and file concise statement.
According to the police report, 12 persons, including Muhammad Nasir, Muhammad Shafique, Muhammad Rashid, Tariq Mehmood, Mubashir Luqman, Rao Wais Mehtab, Danial Luqman, Muhammad Naveed Sheikh, Adeel Ahmed, Muhammad Shoaib, Sulaman Iqbal and Afifa Rao, allegedly found involved in placing of banners and posters in various areas of the federal capital.
The report further informed that challans have been submitted against them in the trial court of Islamabad. “Out of them three have obtained bail,” it added.
The report also said that the ocular as well as circumstantial evidence against the accused have been collected and placed on record, while efforts are underway to unearth the actual accused/abettors/mastermind in order to reach the case to its logical conclusion.
The police requested the court to dispose of the case.
On the direction of apex court, Islamabad police registered an FIR against unknown persons for placing the banners in the federal capital.
The petitioner, former president LHCBA, Rawalpindi bench, Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din argued that the police have not proceeded against those who were actually responsible for placing the banners and posters in various locations of federal capital.
Justice Ijaz said since 2014 this case has been pending and the Supreme Court had made efforts and even directed the top police officials to arrest the culprits. “How can we compel police to nab so and so persons?” he asked.
Justice Ejaz Afzal said the police had proceeded in accordance with the evidence and done what was in their capacity. The hearing has been adjourned till 13th October.