Nainital, May 15 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday took up a petition filed by Rizwan Khan, son of Mohammad Usman who has been accused of raping a minor girl in Nainital last month, challenging his transfer by the state government, officials said on Thursday.
An assistant engineer with the PWD, Khan was transferred from Khatima to the Ghansali division in Tehri district after the rape of a minor girl allegedly by his father Usman (73) created communal tension in the tourist town on April 30, with people vandalising shops owned by one community.
A division bench of Chief Justice Guhanathan Narendar and Justice Alok Nehra heard Khan’s petition.
Advocate Kartikeya Hari Gupta, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the transfer, lacking any basis, was ordered without serving a notice to his client.
Khan’s transfer was the fallout of the outrage caused by the rape incident allegedly involving his father, Gupta argued.
The transfer was ordered “unnecessarily”, citing administrative grounds, Gupta told the court.
Some Hindu outfits uploaded the order on social media even before it reached the petitioner, he claimed. However, Advocate General S N Babulkar and Chief Standing Counsel Chandrashekhar Rawat said the transfer order was issued under the existing rules.
The bench directed the Nainital SSP to investigate the matter and submit a report before the court on Monday. It also expressed strong displeasure over the trolling of judges and advocates on social media in connection with the rape case.
“It is highly objectionable that judges and advocates are being trolled and no action is being taken,” the bench said. PTI COR ALM ARI
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