SC accepts apology of Faisal Raza Abidi in contempt case
A three-member bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed conducted hearing of the case.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the unconditional apology of former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in contempt case.
Abidi, who is currently detained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, had submitted a written apology to the top court on Monday.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed conducted hearing of the case. The judge however; remarked that acceptance of apology will not affect the proceedings in the subordinate courts.
On Monday, Abidi was indicted by an anti-terrorism court in a case pertaining to contemptuous remarks against the chief justice of Pakistan.
The accused was detained in on October 10 outside the Supreme Court when he appeared for a hearing of a suo motu case regarding anti-judiciary remarks made by him in an interview that was aired on a local news channel.
An FIR was registered against Abidi in the Secretariat Police Station under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). It also included sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (II) (statements conducing to public mischief), 228 (intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding), 121 (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against the state) and 109 (punishment of abetment if act abetted in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR alleged Abidi of using “highly insulting and inappropriate language” against the chief justice and the judiciary in the TV interview. It also accused him of “undermining the honour of the chief justice [and] inciting the public”.
This was the third case that has been registered against Abidi for defamation of judiciary and usage of threatening language.
