Ex-judge challenges indictment in Tayyaba torture case

RAWALPINDI: A former additional district & sessions judge (ADSJ), Raja Khurram Ali Khan, an accused in the Tayyaba torture case, has challenged his indictment before the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the IHC, who is conducting the trial in this matter, issued notices to the police seeking their reply till May 5.

After the court initiated its proceedings, the accused Khan and his wife Maheen Zafar were given copies of the challan submitted by the police. After providing the accused with copies of challan, the next step was indictment. At this stage, parents of Tayyaba once again submitted another affidavit. Before that, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had dismissed once such affidavit. In the third affidavit, Tayyaba's father said that due to poverty he gave his daughter in the custody of Khurram Ali Khan to bear her expenses.

On December 27, Khurram Ali Khan informed him that Tayyaba had gone missing. Khurram Ali Khan also registered a report in this regard. He further said that the allegations against Khurram and his wife were baseless and a conspiracy. He, in the name of Allah, forgave Khurram and his wife and if they were acquitted, he has no objections over it. In his affidavit, Tayyaba's father also said that he doesn't want to pursue this matter anymore.

In the last hearing, the IHC bench had decided that it will conduct day-to-day hearing in the Tayyaba torture case.

The ADSJ of Islamabad, Raja Khurram Ali Khan, who is presently serving as an OSD, along with his wife Maheen Zafar are accused in this matter for allegedly torturing a juvenile housemaid Tayyaba and keeping her in illegal confinement. Police registered a case against the ADSJ and his wife under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including Section 337 for injuring, 342 for illegal confinement and 506 for intimidation.