Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 7: In a significant development, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu has stayed further proceedings before the trial court in the challan filed against JKAS officer Azhar Khan and another government official in FIR No. 245/2025 registered at Police Station Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.
Justice M.A. Chowdhary passed the order in petition, wherein the petitioners have sought quashing of Final Report/Challan No. 85/2026 dated June 23, 2026, arising out of the FIR registered on November 10, 2025. The challan is pending before the court of Judicial Magistrate, 3rd Additional Munsiff, Jammu.
The case pertains to the much-discussed incident involving Azhar Khan, then posted as BDO Nagrota, who claimed that he and another official were on election duty when an altercation took place near Gandhi Nagar. The petitioners have alleged that the challan was filed as a counterblast to the incident in which then SDPO Gandhi Nagar, Sunil Singh Jasrotia, allegedly assaulted them in public view. The officer was later attached and subsequently suspended by the Government.
Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Aseem Kumar Sawhney, with Advocates Mohd. Kashif Malik, Tehseena Bukhari, Khushboo Sharma and Mohd. Imnan, submitted that the investigation was allegedly unfair, partisan and one-sided. It was contended that vital CCTV footage, defence material and representations submitted by the petitioners were not properly considered before presentation of the challan.
The petitioners further pleaded that the criminal proceedings were an abuse of process of law and that the challan was allegedly presented in a hurried manner without appreciating the full facts of the case. They also raised the issue of sanction, contending that Azhar Khan was a government servant and the alleged incident had connection with official/election duty.
Deputy Advocate General Pawan Dev Singh appeared for respondents No. 1 and 2 and waived notice on their behalf. The High Court granted four weeks' time for filing objections. Notice was also ordered to be issued to respondent No. 3, returnable within four weeks.
After hearing the matter, the High Court ordered that, "Meanwhile, until further orders, proceedings before the trial court are ordered to be kept in abeyance." The matter has been listed for further consideration on August 11, 2026.
(JNF) |
