MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has dismissed District and Sessions Judge Raja Imtiaz Ahmed, convicting him in a contempt of court case.
Earlier on July 2, the AJK Supreme Court full bench, led by Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan, sentenced Raja Imtiaz to three days in prison for blatant violation of court orders, perjury, and defamation of the judiciary.
The notification issued today stated that the “Chief Justice Supreme Court has removed the convicted judge from service under section (9) of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Civil Servants (Incompetence and Discipline) Rules, 1977.”
The case dates back to a narcotics offense in Haveli Kahuta district, where an accused, Raja Dilawar Khan, was arrested for possession of a large quantity of heroin.
Despite the trial court, High Court, and Supreme Court rejecting the accused’s bail application on January 19, 2023, Raja Imtiaz Ahmed, then Special Judge of the Anti-Narcotics Court in Haveli, acquitted the accused under Section 265-K (Cr.P.C) on February 16, 2023.
This decision was made despite the Supreme Court’s clear orders to issue a final decision within six months and to approach the Supreme Court again for bail if new material evidence emerged.
A full bench of the Azad Kashmir apex court termed Raja Imtiaz’s action as contempt of court, perjury and false statement, and misconduct. Raja Imtiaz was questioned about this acquittal order before the court; he denied it and said that no such decision had been issued; however, his order was recovered from the court records.
Meanwhile, a month ago, the Supreme Court had suspended Raja Imtiaz and ordered an inquiry, while all his previous decisions, especially the complete record of drug cases in Muzaffarabad, Palandri, and Haveli, were also sought.
After a month of inquiry, the Supreme Court had clearly declared that Raja Imtiaz had committed contempt of court, challenged the authority of the Supreme Court, and tarnished the reputation of the institution by lying in court. Therefore, the court immediately sentenced him to three days and ordered his arrest from the courtroom itself.
