Srinagar: Senior Congress leader and former health minister Shabir Ahmad Khan accused of outraging modesty of a female doctor on Tuesday appeared before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar wherein he was asked to file response to an application filed by the complainant seeking stay on the proceedings till the Supreme Court decides an appeal filed by her against bail order issued to Khan.
According to Advocate Rafiq Ahmad Joo, the counsel for complainant doctor, the CJM chief asked Khan to file his response to the application by ore before May 16. In her application the complainant doctor has said that her Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Jammu and Kashmir High Court bail order is pending before the Supreme Court and till that appeal is decided there should be no proceedings in the main matter pending the CJM.
Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, the former health minister was present in the court with his counsel Advocate Muhammad Abdullah Pandith and Advocate Naqashbandh who also filed an application before the court alleging that the charge sheet in the matter has been produced in the absence of Khan and even without informing him about the same.
On April 3, the CJM Srinagar had issued notices to Deputy Inspector General (DIGs) of Jammu and Rajouri-Poonch to cause appearance of Khan, after police filed charge sheet against him for his alleged involvement in outraging modesty of the female doctor.
The two separate notices were issued by V. S Bhou the CJM Srinagar after perusing and accepting the charge sheet which has been filed against Khan under section 509 (showing any gesture, word, or action in order to outrage modesty of a woman) and 354 (using criminal force to outrage the modesty of woman) of RPC.
A day after the High Court granted relief to him, on February 13, 2014 Khan had appeared before police station Shaheed Ganj here. The High Court had asked the police to release Khan on a personal surety bond once he presents himself before the police. Khan furnished a personal bond of Rs 25,000, after the high court yesterday said if police arrest him, he should be bailed out after furnishing a personal bond.
On February 8, the, the CJM Srinagar had issued a non bail able arrest warrant against Khan, former minister of state for health after being accused of molesting a lady doctor. Police station Shaheed Gunj had registered FIR against Khan bearing number 9 of 2014 under sections 354/509 RPC in the matter.