SC indicts Talal Chaudhry for contempt of court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday indicted State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhary in a contempt of court case.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, also turned down a plea in which adjournment of the case was sought until a detailed judgment in contempt of court cases filed against the PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and Khawaja Saad Rafique.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar, the other day dismissed the contempt of court petitions filed by Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party, against Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique.

The court indicted Talal Chaudhry over his contemptuous speeches made in public on September 24 and 27 last year. “Let the charge be framed,” Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan ruled. Talal Chaudhry, however, pleaded not guilty and said he will contest the case.

The court rejected Talal’s plea that documents concerning contempt of court cases against Sharif and Saad Rafique be placed on record for just and proper adjudication of the instant matter.

Talal’s counsel Kamran Murtaza submitted that the words used in his client’s speeches were inappropriate but the same could not constitute a case of contempt of court. He further said indictment was a big stigma and his client was a young parliamentarian.

Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, however, observed that indictment was not a stigma, as scores of people had been indicted for contempt of court but later cases against them were dismissed. The court assured the counsel that the accused would not be convicted if he convinced the court.

Talal submitted that the apex court had dismissed some other contempt petitions of similar nature against Sharif and Rafique while showing judicial restraint and magnanimity. He said the apex court had also shown same restraint and magnanimity in a contempt petition filed against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.

He contended that contempt cases against Sharif and Rafique were of similar nature closely related to his case; therefore, the same petitions were sought to be placed on record for assisting the bench to conclude the case. Later, the court adjourned further hearing until March 27.