Former Pak judge, wife get 1 year in jail for torturing 10-year-old maid

The minor’s parents had struck a deal to pardon the couple but the Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo motu notice of the torture case and asked the high court to hold a retrial.

A Pakistani high court on Tuesday sentenced an additional district and sessions judge and his wife to one year in jail for torturing a 10-year-old girl child working as a domestic help at their house here.

In this January 6, 2017 photo, the wife, center, of a judge is escorted from the Supreme Court by her brother in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP File Photo)

In a short verdict, Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) convicted additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Raja Khurram Ali Khan and his wife Maheen of torturing the minor and sentenced them to one year in prison. The court also slapped a fine of ₹50,000 each on them.

The girl, Tayyaba, first made headlines when police rescued her in December 2016 from the ADSJ’s residence, after some of his neighbours shared her pictures on the social media.

Khan and his wife were booked and charged with assaulting, confining, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning, harming and injuring the minor housemaid.

Following the incident, the IHC had suspended the judge and made him an officer on special duty (OSD).

Initially her parents struck a deal to pardon the couple but Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar in January last year took suo motu notice of the Tayyaba torture case and asked the high court to hold a retrial.

In May last year, the IHC indicted the accused, while rejecting the compromise on the grounds that compounding an offence with parents of the minor was not maintainable.

A total of 19 witnesses, including 11 of prosecution and eight non-state witnesses, including Tayyaba’s parents, recorded their statement.

Last month, after hearing both sides, the high court had reserved its judgement.