An Islamabad district and sessions court on Monday sent PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on a 14-day judicial remand in a case over alleged incitement of violence against a constitutional institution \u2014 the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
\nThe former federal minister was taken into custody on January 25 after a first information report (FIR) against him was registered at Islamabad\u2019s Kohsar police station on a complaint by ECP Secretary Umar Hameed for allegedly threatening the ECP members and their families in a speech.
\nChaudhry was produced in the court today upon expiry of a second two-day physical remand given to the police.
\nFollowing the hearing today, Judicial Magistrate Waqas Ahmed Raja sent Chaudhry to jail on a judicial remand, rejecting the prosecution\u2019s plea of extending his physical remand for a third time.
\nFaisal Chaudhry, Advocate Babar Awan, and Ali Bukhari were present in the courtroom as Chaudhry\u2019s legal counsels. ECP\u2019s lawyer Saad Hassan, State Prosecutor Adnan Ali, Investigation Officer (IO) Muhammad Ali and PTI leader Ali Nawaz were also in attendance.
\nChaudhry was brought to the courtroom later in the afternoon after the case\u2019s hearing had been postponed till 3pm as the police cited road blockages in the capital as the reason for failing to present Chaudhry at 11:30am as originally scheduled.
\nWhile the state prosecutor asked for the extension of the PTI leader\u2019s physical remand \u2014 saying it still needed to obtain Chaudhry\u2019s \u201ccell phone, laptop and other devices\u201d \u2014 the ECP lawyer did not ask for the same.
\nThe hearing
\nWhen the hearing resumed at 3pm, the judge asked the state prosecutor to produce Chaudhry as per the time decided. Upon the lapse of the said time, Awan said a contempt case was warranted for failure to oblige with the decision.
\nThe judge warned state prosecutor Adnan of issuing a notice to the senior superintendent of police and the inspector general if the delay continued.
\nShortly after, the police reached the court along with Chaudhry, upon which Faisal requested to have his client\u2019s handcuffs taken off, and the court accepted the plea.
\nAt one point, Adnan requested the court to extend Chaudhry\u2019s physical remand. Upon this, the judge asked Adnan about the \u201cimportance of conducting a photogrammetric test\u201d in the present case.
\nThe prosecutor responded, \u201cThe purpose of a photogrammetric test is to identify one\u2019s actual personality.\u201d He further said he still required access to Chaudhry\u2019s electronic gadgets.
\nHowever, Hassan \u2014 the ECP lawyer \u2014 did not request an extension in the physical remand. He clarified, \u201cWe only had to conduct Fawad Chaudhry\u2019s photogrammetric test, which has been performed.\u201d
\nMeanwhile, Advocate Awan, while presenting his arguments on Chaudhry\u2019s behalf, said, \u201cThe prosecution has made a joke out of Fawad Chaudhry\u2019s case. Fawad is still standing by his statement.\u201d
\nAddressing the prosecution, he said, \u201cI don\u2019t know who the prosecution wants to please. I don\u2019t know which laptop the prosecution wants to obtain.\u201d
\nHaving listened to both sides\u2019 arguments, Raja sent Chaudhry on a judicial remand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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