Journalists barred from court room
MUZAFFARABAD: The AJK Supreme Court virtually became a ‘no-go area’ for mediapersons and several litigants here on Monday after its entrance was closed to them under the orders of the registrar as a full bench of the apex court took up a contempt of court case against three journalists accused of scandalising the chief justice.
As the journalists reached the court building, ringed by a large number of police personnel, to cover the hearing of the case, they found it banned for everyone except lawyers due to what an official claimed “security concerns.”
Chief editor, news editor and a correspondent of private news agency were charged by some pro-CJ lawyers through an application with commission of contempt of court by releasing a news item on July 5 regarding jacking up of marks of the CJ’s daughter by the AJK Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (AJKBISE) allegedly in a questionable manner.
Notices were issued to the three journalists to appear before the court on July 10 and they were also directed to deposit personal bonds worth Rs100,000 each and surety bonds consisting of two sureties worth Rs100,000 each which they did on the same day and are on bail ever since.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/28/2009
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