The Court of Municipal Magistrate Srinagar has issued notice to inspector general of police traffic Basant Rath asking him to show cause as to why contempt proceedings shall not be initiated against him.
The court issued the notice in a case wherein the plaintiff submitted that the IGP along with other officials had violated the orders of stay issued by the court in his favour.
A suit was filed by the owner of the Jahangir Hotel after authorities dismantled the canopy of the hotel situated at the main entrance of the property.
Shabir Ahmad Rangrez, through his counsel has pleaded for initiation of contempt proceedings against the IGP traffic, SMC commissioner, SHO Shaheed Gunj and others.
He pleaded that by virtue of the court order issued earlier in the suit, the authorities were directed not to damage the property of the plaintiff.
The counsel pleaded that the contemnors (IGP traffic and others) are guilty of showing disrespect to the command issued by the court which amounts to gross abuse of process of law on their part aimed at depriving the petitioner from the protection which is available to them in terms of law.
He said the contemnors by resorting to illegal and contemptuous act at the site have given rise to miscarriage of justice.
“The respondents/contemnors (IGP traffic and others) by showing willful defiance to the orders of the court have supplied an impression of a jungle raj in the state of J&K which trend is required to be arrested and the rule of law needs to be restored with all its vigor and force,” he pleaded.
“The court issued the notice to the IGP traffic J&K and others. It asked the respondents to file compliance report/statement of facts by or before next date of hearing. IGP traffic being law enforcing authority is also law abiding citizen,” advocate Mir Naveed Gul who represents IGP traffic in the case told Greater Kashmir.