Islamabad court orders police to produce Fawad while hearing plea against refusal to extend physical remand

An Islamabad court on Saturday asked police to produce PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry before the court as it took up a plea filed by police challenging the court’s refusal yesterday to extend his physical remand.

The directives were issued by Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Mehmood Khan.

Concurrently, another hearing on the PTI leader’s petition seeking post-arrest bail is also underway at a local court.

The two cases are being heard separately at different courts located in close proximity at the F-8 Kacheri (a judicial complex for district courts).

The former information minister had on Friday moved an application through his attorney before additional district and sessions judge Faizan Haider Gillani seeking his bail.

Chaudhry was taken into custody after a first information report (FIR) against him was registered at Islamabad’s Kohsar police station on a complaint of Election Commission Secretary Umar Hameed.

Police invoked sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief), and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code against him.

The FIR stated that Chaudhry, in a speech outside PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s house, had allegedly threatened the ECP and their family members.

Police petition hearing

Resuming the hearing after an hour-long recess, the court summoned the prosecutor and asked him to read out the contents of the petition seeking an extension in the physical remand of the PTI leader.

Prosecutor Adnan said it was necessary to move Chaudhry to Lahore for the photogrammetric test. “We also need access to the suspect’s electronic gadgets including his mobile phone and laptop to determine other elements who connived with him.”

He urged the court to set aside the judicial magistrate’s order and grant an extension in the physical remand of the ex-minister.

The prosecutor insisted that there was ample “electronic material” available against Chaudhry.

Earlier, the judge asked the prosecution about the investigation conducted during the two-day physical remand of the PTI leader.

The state counsel responded that investigators “practically got one day” to grill the suspect. “We need to conduct a photogrammetric test on the detainee,” the officer told the court.

Chaudhry’s defence attorney Babar Awan appeared before the court and objected to the non-appearance of the investigation officer. He argued that his team had not been given any prior notice by the police seeking to challenge the court orders.

“This country has become a banana republic,” he contended.

After hearing arguments, the court asked police to produce the PTI leader before the court, saying the production of the suspect was mandatory in a plea seeking an extension in physical remand.

Hearing on bail plea

At the same time, a sessions court is hearing a post-arrest bail petitionfiled by the PTI. Chaudhry’s counsels Babar Awan and Ali Bukhari turned up before the court.

Judge Faizan Haider Gillani informed the PTI legal team that the police investigator had told the court they have challenged the court’s rejection of their petition to extend the physical remand of the PTI leader.

“We did not get any notice. The investigators should have informed us,” Awan responded.

The judge said the information had now been conveyed through the court anyway.

In his plea, the PTI leader contended that the allegations levelled against him in the FIR were false, frivolous and baseless. He said the case against him was based on mala fide, alleging that the government was trying to “blackmail” him.

More to follow