Azmiralda claims attempt were made to influence her at JSC

Supreme Court Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir has denied allegations that she tried to exert undue influence, instead arguing that attempts have been made to influence her during a hearing at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in the disciplinary case against her.

Azmiralda is currently on suspension alongside fellow Supreme Court Justice Dr. Mahaz Ali Zahir.

Both justices are accused of attempting to influence the Criminal Court to see to the release of Azmiralda’s husband, Dr. Ismail Latheef, who was arrested last December.

Mahaz was summoned to the JSC on Sunday. Azmiralda was summoned to the Commission on Tuesday, where she responded to the allegations against her.

Speaking with Sun, Azmiralda’s lawyer, Ibrahim Shameel, detailed points raised by Azmiralda in her response. In this regard, he detailed that Azmiralda stressed she had not attempted to influence her husband’s case in any way.

“The Justice denied the allegation against during today’s JSC investigation. She described them as “baseless lies”,” he said.

Shameel, citing Azmiralda, said she was able to talk to Mahaz, who also stands accused in the case, after 6:00pm in the evening on the day in question, hours after the incident, after Mahaz had come across a news reporting Latheef’s arrest.

As such, Shameel said Azmiralda stressed allegations that attempts were made to exert influence via Mahaz are completely unbelievable.

Apart from this, Shameel said Azmiralda described the allegations as part of an attempt to influence her over a contentious constitutional case currently lodged at the Supreme Court, sharing the details to back her claim.

On this note, he underscored that Azmiralda detailed having received a message from an individual last month, before proceedings on the constitutional case began.

The message read that a disciplinary case against Azmiralda had been “parked” without an investigation during former JSC president Hisaan Hussain’s term, adding the case can still be reviewed as a disciplinary case.

Shameel, citing Azmiralda, said that although the message did not come directly from the government, it is assumed to be an attempt to exert influence through another party.

Azmiralda was summoned again at 13:00pm to sign her statement.

Notably, Azmiralda, on Monday, had alleged ACC had sent a letter to JSC claiming a criminal investigation against her while none had been initiated in order for ACC’s President Adam Shamil to defend his post.