Rawalpindi - An anti-narcotics court could not indict eight accused, including PML-N former MNA Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, of ephedrine smuggling due to absence of two of the accused.
The court fixed October 28 as next date for framing charges against the accused.
The court of narcotics control substance (CNSC) took up ephedrine illegal allocation quota scam during which some six accused including PML-N stalwart Muhammad Hanif Abbasi appeared before the court.
However, two accused namely Basit Ali and Ahmed Bilal did not attend the hearing owing to sickness. The counsels of both absent accused filed application before the court pleading exemption which was granted by the court. The court adjourned the hearing till October 28, 2014.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has sent a defamation notice worth Rs 1 billion to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for accusing him (Abbasi) of selling narcotics during a speech in sit-in in Islamabad some days ago.
Malik Ghulam Mustafa Kundwal Advocate, lawyer of Abbasi, sent a defamation notice to Khan.
Abbasi’s lawyer, while talking to media persons, said that on electronic media Khan was attempting to malign Abbasi.
Abbasi has given Khan 14 days to apologies for his accusations on electronic media or else legal proceedings would be initiated against the PTI chief.