Court rejects plea to extend Fawad Chaudhry's physical remand

ISLAMABAD: The court of district and sessions judge on Friday rejected the police’s plea for physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry in a case related to using ‘threatening language’ against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members.

Earlier, in the day the verdict was reserved by the court after hearing arguments from both sides. Judicial Magistrate Waqas Raja while announcing his reserved verdict ordered to send Fawad Chaudhry to Adiala jail on 14-day judicial remand.

Fawad Chaudhry was produced before the court under strict security.

At the outset of the hearing, the prosecutor pleaded for an extension in physical remand as interrogation in the case is yet to be completed. Fawad’s lawyers Babar Awan and Faisal Chaudhry are also present in the court.

The prosecutor said a voice-matching test had been undertaken while e photogrammetry test is yet to be conducted. He said the suspect attempted to incite hatred against ECP officials through his speech.

Chaudhry’s lawyer, Dr Babar Awan while objecting to the extension in demand of his client and said the prosecution wants to include everyone in the probe, while all the evidence is in Lahore Lab.

When the LHC was asking for Fawad Chaudhry, he was shifted to Islamabad. He said the prosecution is unable to clarify want it wants from my client, Awan said and claimed no one present in the court has different views about ECP.

The court after hearing arguments reserved the verdict.

The case

The former federal minister was arrested for ‘threatening’ Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members.

A case against PTi leader was registered at the Kohsar police station in Islamabad on the complaint of Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Omer Hamid Khan.