LHC judge accused of close links to underworld

ISLAMABAD: A sitting senior judge of the Lahore High Court has been accused of deep links with the underworld and a report has been sent to the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice who is considering taking action against him.

The LHC chief justice has been formally informed by the Punjab police of extremely serious allegations made in his recorded statement against the judge by a notorious wanted don, Faiz Rasool alias Nanno Goraya, who was killed in a police encounter on Jan 17, 2009. His death was celebrated by the people of Gujranwala who showered flowers on the police for eliminating a deadly criminal.

Goraya was wanted for many years and had head money of Rs2 million and was arrested a few days ago when the Shahbaz Sharif government sent special police teams to the Gulf and later to Malaysia to nab him in collaboration with Interpol. He was arrested in Malaysia and brought back to Pakistan and then recorded his statements in which he implicated the LHC judge.

Later, the don tried to escape from police custody, an encounter ensued and he was shot dead.

The startling revelations of the underworld don show in detail how this sitting judge of the LHC offered Goraya to quash all his cases in one go. But Goraya, who claimed he did not remember how many persons he had murdered, replied that he had to kill many more and would approach the justice only when he had killed all of them.

"Upon this the justice said: "Why do you bother to kill your foes, we can get it done through the police."

The don, in his legally recorded testimony before he died in the encounter states: "I said that killing someone with one's own hands has its own taste. The justice smiled."

The statement of Goraya has been seen by LHC Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain who is now mulling taking action against the judge, sources close to the chief justice confirmed.

Gujranwala Regional Police Officer Zulfikar Cheema when contacted confirmed to this correspondent that Nanno Goraya's statement regarding the sitting LHC judge has been sent to the chief justice. When attempts were made to contact the chief justice, The News was told to wait for a day.

The concerned justice, however, when contacted was not available at his residence while his wife who received this correspondent's call said the judge had gone to Bahawalpur. She promised that she would convey my name and number to the judge as soon as she contacted her. After an hour when the lady was again contacted and told the purpose of the call, she disconnected the phone abruptly and then never picked it up again despite repeated efforts.

According to the documents available with The News, Goraya reveals many things regarding his criminal life, mode of commission of crime, operational network and his contacts.

The text of his statement concerning the judge, now with the chief justice, reads: "I used to live in Dubai, where I had very intimate terms with Ashfaq Bajwa.

One day I went to see Ashfaq, where Justice xxx was already sitting. The justice enquired about me from Ashfaq. Ashfaq smiled and said he is Nanno Goraya from Gujranwala. Upon this I asked Ashfaq about Justice xxx. He said this is Mr xxx xxx, judge of the Lahore High Court, a very influential figure whose word becomes law. Justice xxx smiled and had a chat with me for an hour. He told me not to worry and he would take care of me. The same night we left for a night club. In the club, we ordered Scotch whisky and fruit. Justice was happy to sit between Ashfaq and me. Then the promoter came and asked which songs we liked. The Justice wished to hear "mainu note wakha mera mood banay". We kept on swinging, drinking and eating fruit. Then all three of us started throwing money on the female singer on the stage. Then the justice wished to listen to "way gujra way". After this song the justice asked about my choice. I readily said, "nayak nahi khal nayak hoon main". We all danced on this song. Mr xxx (justice) said, Goraya, you are the judge and not a proclaimed offender. He said he had the power to grant me bail while sitting in a bar room. He said he was friend of friends and enemy of enemies.

"Justice xxx said he could quash all my cases in one go. I said still I had to kill many persons. When I would kill all of them then I would request you to quash all my cases. Upon this the justice said, why you bother to kill your foes. We can get it done through the police. I said killing someone with one's own hands has its own taste. The justice smiled."

"When we finished drinking, the justice lost his heart for the dancing girl. The promoter said she would not be available tonight. Ashfaq gave 15,000 dirhams to the promoter and we succeeded to get that girl. Then we escorted the justice and the girl to a hotel; where they spent their colourful night. Ashfaq and me went back to the flat and slept, as we were totally intoxicated. Next day we went to the hotel to see Mr Justice who was very happy to spend the night with that girl. He was very impressed by her sexuality; he admitted this frankly."

"In the afternoon we went for shopping. I bought a diamond set for the wedding of Justice xxx's daughter. I also bought him a Rado wristwatch. He wanted me to give him a pen and I also complied with his demand. All this shopping cost me thousands of dirhams.†The justice was fully charmed with my hospitality. When I commented that today, the justice and the proclaimed offender have been united; he appreciated my remarks with a positive nod."

"In the evening we drank again. Justice xxx said to Ashfaq, Nanno drinks a lot. Ashfaq said he has been drinking since childhood. Justice said, Nanno you are a bigger drinker than me. Then he started remembering Khalid Lone and said Khalid Lone introduced me (Nanno) to him. I said Khalid was like my father. The Justice said that he was like Khalid Lone to me."