Can the Prohibited Bore License be awarded to private persons?
PLJ 2008 SC 1001 · Peshawar High Court
This Supreme Court case concerned a judge who, while serving as Additional District Judge in Upper Dir, gave away prohibited-bore weapons that had been confiscated as case property during trials. Instead of following proper legal procedures for disposing of such arms, he handed them out free of cost to various private individuals, including his own brother, and even kept one weapon for himself. He also released two confiscated vehicles through "superdari" (custody orders), one to a lawyer and one to himself. After police flagged the irregular releases, the High Court investigated, found his explanations unsatisfactory, and ultimately removed him from judicial service. A service tribunal upheld this removal, leading to this appeal before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court examined the relevant arms rules and found that while there were procedures for disposing of confiscated weapons and even giving limited cash rewards to informants or those assisting in arrests, there was no legal provision allowing a judge to simply award seized weapons to private persons of his choosing. His actions were therefore illegal and beyond his authority.
However, considering his long service record and the hardship already suffered from being out of work for years, the Court showed leniency on the punishment itself. It converted his removal from service into compulsory retirement instead, while still affirming that his conduct was indeed unlawful and warranted serious disciplinary action.
یہ سپریم کورٹ کا ایک مقدمہ ہے جس کا تعلق ایک ایسے جج سے ہے جو اپر دیر میں ایڈیشنل ڈسٹرکٹ جج کے طور پر خدمات انجام دے رہا تھا اور اس نے وہ ممنوعہ بور اسلحہ، جو مقدمات کی سماعت کے دوران بطور کیس پراپرٹی ضبط کیا گیا تھا، آگے تقسیم کر دیا۔ ایسے اسلحے کو ٹھکانے لگانے کے لیے قانون میں جو مناسب طریقہ کار مقرر ہے اس پر عمل کرنے کے بجائے اس نے یہ اسلحہ مختلف نجی افراد کو مفت میں دے دیا، جن میں اس کا اپنا بھائی بھی شامل تھا، اور ایک اسلحہ اس نے خود بھی اپنے پاس رکھ لیا۔ اس کے علاوہ اس نے دو ضبط شدہ گاڑیاں بھی "سپردگی" کے احکامات کے ذریعے جاری کر دیں، ایک وکیل کے نام اور ایک اپنے نام۔ جب پولیس نے ان بے ضابطہ اجراؤں کی نشاندہی کی تو ہائی کورٹ نے اس معاملے کی تحقیقات کیں، اس کی صفائیاں ناقابلِ اطمینان قرار دیں، اور بالآخر اسے عدالتی ملازمت سے برخاست کر دیا۔ ایک سروس ٹربیونل نے اس برخاستگی کو برقرار رک