ISLAMABAD – A file complaint has been filed against Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry for her orders regarding physical remand of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill in a sedition case.
Yaseen Gill, a brother of the incarcerated PTI leader, filed the complaint with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the sessions judge and the member of the court’s inspection team (MIT).
The development comes after PTI Chairman Imran Khan warned the female judge of consequences over approving remand of Gill as he claimed that detained party leader was tortured in police custody.
Shahbaz Gill was arrested on August 9 and he was sent on remand into police custody till August 12 by a judicial magistrate. When police requested the magistrate to extend his remand, he turned down the petition.
The police challenged the decision in a sessions court , which also upheld the magistrate’s decision of not extending the Gill’s remand.
When the matter was taken to the IHC, acting Chief Justice Justice Aamer Farooq remanded the matter back to the sessions court , directing it to decision on the petition in accordance with the law.
ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry in a subsequent hearing granted two-day physical remand of Gill to the police. This was the point when the female judge faced backlash on social media and threats from Imran Khan.
Gill’s brother in his complaint argued that the lady judge made grave violations and derogation of judicial norms.
“…the said act of conducting the proceedings by the learned ASJ Zeba Chaudhry is amounting to gross misconduct, illegality and mala fide intention committed by her since based on her grave incompetence, glaring negligence and noticeable partiality, violating the code of conduct of a judge, therefore, not covered under the umbrella of good faith or indemnity provided for the protection of a judicial officer,” the complaint said.
The complainant said that the lady judge could only sent the remand matter back of judicial magistrate instead of issuing ruling on it.
It alleged that she was “acting with the investigation agency to destroy the evidence of their crime of inflicting third degree physical torture upon the accused [Gill] for the purpose of screening out the offenders from the charge of cognizable offences of hurt.”
The Shahbaz Gill’s brother has sought “disciplinary action/proceedings against ADSJ Chaudhry for commission of misconduct.”