Hate speech: Verdict reserved on bail plea of Safdar

LAHORE: A local court here on Tuesday reserved a verdict on a bail plea of retired captain Muhammad Safdar, son-in-law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a hate speech case, reported ARY News.

The court also reserved its verdict on an application seeking physical remand of the PML-N leader for investigation.

A government lawyer moved the application on behalf of the state challenging the Oct 22 ruling of a judicial magistrate who turned down a plea for physical remand of the PML-N leader.

He stated before the court that an investigation against the accused has hit a snag owing to the judicial magistrate’s decision of not handing over the custody of Safdar to the police for interrogation. He said they needed his custody for a polygraph test to verify the veracity of a video in which he is reportedly seen inciting people against the government.

The counsel, thus, pleaded with the court to grant remand of the accused.

Earlier, on Oct 22, a judicial magistrate had sent Safdar to prison on judicial remand for fourteen days in a case pertaining to hate speech.

Judicial Magistrate Rana Asif Ali rejected a request to discharge the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader in the case.

He also rejected a plea by Punjab police to hand Safdar over to them for interrogation.

Safdar was arrested by the police on the night of Oct 21 from the motorway on the charge of issuing remarks and inciting public against the state.