By Saadullah Naul
Taking contempt notice against deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner of Mandi Bahauddin, a judge of the District Consumer Court sent both the officials to Gujrat jail on Friday. Rana Mehboob, who claimed to be the counsel for Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Ali in a consumer matter, appeared before the District Consumer Judge Rao Abdul Jabbar a day ago.
A copy of the court order available with TLTP disclosed that Mehboob’s tone gradually increased, reaching up to the level of shouting, adding, “He (Mehboob) was in the style to overawe the court”. The court issued him notice under Section 228 Pakistan Penal Code. However, Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Ali appeared before the court and tried to defend Mehbood who is a BPS-16 officer.
The court said in its order, “From the body language of the assistant commissioner it revealed that said Rana Mehboob Ali was sent by the assistant commissioner to misbehave with the court in a very worst manner as it has become customary first to misbehave with the court, create mess then some officer of executive came to apology”.
It has been further stated in the order that the judge returned to the chamber and there he received a call and someone said, Tariq speaking what is the matter (Tariq bolda pyan Ann, Aa keh muamla Aay). The judge said in the order that upon querying who the Tariq was, the judge came to know that the man on the other side of the phone was Tariq Basra, deputy commissioner of the Mandi Bahauddin. Then replying to the judge’s query, Basra has been reported saying, “Mehboob was a litigation officer and was appearing to a case and let him free and allowed to go”.
“Then he (Basra) narrated a story that he (deputy commissioner) once appeared with Rana Mehboob before the Lahore High Court, Lahore – he also misbehaved in the same way one of the Lordships a few days ago in a case and Lordship was annoyed and then he (Tariq Basra) step forward told that he is psycho and sought pardon from the Hon’ble Lahore High Court, Lahore”.
The judge said in his order, “In view of the matter, I was constrained to issue show cause notices to AC and DC of Mandi Bahauddin U/S 228 PPC that why they should not be punished and sent to jail because of the misconduct before the court by them and their conduct falls within the scope of Section 228 of the PPC.”
While appearing before the District Consumer Court judge on Friday both the officers failed to submit reply in the matter and denied to receive the show cause notice. Upon which the District Consumer Court judge convicted both the officials in summary proceedings under Section 228 of the PPC which reads as, “Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceedings.”
It has been stated in the order that District Bar Association President Zahidyar Gondal with legal advisor of the District Administration entered in the chamber of the judge without permission and expressed annoyance over the court proceedings against AC and DC. The order further said that Gondal extended threats of dire consequences in case the judge did not withdraw the orders in the matter.
However, the District Consumer Court judge also issued a show cause notice to the bar president, saying all the bar members including secretary of the district bar are on the one side whereas the president district bar is on the other side. Later, in pursuance of the court directives, the district police officer arrested AC and DC and sent them to Gujrat Jail whereas Mehbood has already been sent to jail in the matter.
