ISLAMABAD - An Accountability Court (AC) on Wednesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) an eight-day physical remand of PTI’s Chairman Imran Khan in Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
The court instructed the bureau to produce the accused again on May 17, after ending of his physical remand time. Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the verdict which was earlier reserved after hearing arguments.
The accountability court was set up in police line Islamabad due to security concerns.
Deputy Prosecutor NAB Sardar Muzafar Abbasi, Special Prosecutor Rafay Maqsood, Prosecutor Sardar Zulkarnain and investigation officer Mian Umar Nadeem appeared before the court.
At the outset of hearing, the NAB deputy prosecutor prayed the court to grant fourteen days physical remand of former prime minister Imran Khan. He adopted the stance that the NAB had to recover documents and record from the custody of the accused for more investigation into the matter. The deputy prosecutor said that Imran Khan was shown his arrest warrants at the time of his arrest. He said that all relevant documents to the case would be shared with the lawyers of Imran Khan. He said that the money was caught by the National Crime Agency of Britain and sent back to the government of Pakistan but this money was adjusted with a business tycoon.
Imran’s lawyer Khwaja Haris opposed the request of physical remand and argued that his client was arrested illegally from premises of IHC. He said that the people were getting education in an educational institution under the Al-Qadir Trust. A trustee should not be a public office holder and Imran Khan was not a public office holder currently, he added.
Imran Khan on the occasion said that which record the NAB wanted to recover from him. The money was come with the approval of federal cabinet, he said.
He also expressed health concerns and said that his doctor Dr. Faisal should be given access to him.
After hearing arguments, the court reserved its verdict and later granted the NAB eight days custody of Imran Khan. It may be mentioned here that the Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi was facing a NAB investigation related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which allegedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer. As per the charges, the accused allegedly adjusted Rs 50 billion sent by NCA to the government. They were also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al Qadir University.
TOSHAKHANA CASE
A local court on Wednesday indicted former prime minister Imran Khan in a criminal case regarding not disclosing the details of gifts received from toshakhana. Additional Session Judge Hamayun Dilawar heard the toshakhana criminal case against PTI’s Chairman Imran Khan filed by District Election Commissioner.