Former Pak PM Imran Khan arrested in protest case hours after bail in alleged corruption case
Islamabad (PTI): The chances for the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan vanished after he was arrested in a protest case hours after getting bail in a case of alleged corruption, a media report said on Thursday.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted him bail in the second Toshakhana case related to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set at a throwaway price, igniting hopes of his release.
However, hours later, Rawalpindi police arrested him late at night in connection with a case registered at New Town Police Station on terrorism and other charges.
The police alleged that Khan, while imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, had called for a protest in Rawalpindi on September 28.
Dawn newspaper quoted a police spokesperson as saying that Khan had been detained in the case filed on September 28 and a team has been tasked to probe the charges.
The charges include violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act, defying the government ban on public gatherings, obstructing police duty, damaging police vehicles and endangering public safety.
Even before the formal arrest in the case, federal information minister Atta Tarar doused the idea of his release by saying that Khan was wanted in eight cases related to May 9, 2023 violence and should secure bail before being set free from the jail.
Dawn reported that Khan needs to secure bail in nearly two dozen other cases registered across Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad before being released.
According to Islamabad police, at least 62 cases were registered against Khan in various police stations of the capital while his PTI party said that another 54 cases were registered in Punjab province.
Meanwhile, an accountability court on Wednesday held a hearing on the GBP 190 million case at the Adiala Jail and was informed that Khan and Bushra Bibi have yet to submit responses to the questionnaires issued to them.
The court granted Bibi’s request for an exemption from court appearance on medical grounds and adjourned the hearing till November 22.
Separately, the Lahore High Court dismissed a plea by Khan’s sister, Noreen Niazi, seeking bail for her brother in all cases against him in Punjab and Islamabad.
An assistant attorney general presented a report to the court, stating that 62 cases had been registered against Khan by the Islamabad police. After going through the report, Justice Farooq Haider turned down the request, observing that bail petitions must be filed personally by the suspect.
Dozens of cases have been registered against Khan since losing power in April 2022. His party maintained that all cases were politically motivated.
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Vinod Tawde seeks apology from Kharge, Rahul through legal notice, warns of defamation lawsuit
Cash-for-vote row
New Delhi, Nov 22: BJP leader Vinod Tawde has demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for making "false and baseless" allegations against him in the cash-for-votes incident in Maharashtra, saying if they don't he would sue them for defamation.
Tawde was accused by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, a regional party, of distributing Rs 5 crore to woo voters, with its members barging into a hotel room on November 19 in a Mumbai suburb, where the BJP leader was present.
The former Maharashtra minister and BJP national general secretary claimed innocence, saying the alleged amount was not recovered in the probe by the Election Commission and police.
"The Congress only believes in spreading lies, and this incident is a proof of the party's low level politics to dent me and my party's image," Tawde said.
The two Congress leaders and the party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate seized on the row to accuse the BJP of using money power to influence the November 20 assembly polls in the state.
The legal notice sent to the three claimed that they were aware that they were pushing a "totally false story fabricated" by them.
"You all have deliberately, mischievously with the sole intention of damaging the reputation of our client intentionally fabricated the story distribution of money. You all have published false, baseless allegations against our client on various media for tarnishing his image in the eyes of right thinking people in the society," the notice read.
The Congress leaders were in a "great hurry" to damage Tawde's reputation, they did not bother to check the fact and or despite knowing the entire fact they made the false, baseless allegations, it said.
"The entire imputation made by you all are totally false, baseless, malicious and mala fide and as our client is in no way involved in any such illegal activity and as a responsible office bearer of the national political party he is aware of his duties," it added.
The notice demanded an "unconditional apology" to Tawde within 24 hours from the time the receipt of the notice, which was sent on November 21, and published in newspapers and X.
If they do not offer apology, then Tawde will initiate criminal proceedings under Section 356, which covers defamation, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and also civil proceedings for the damages of Rs 100 crore against the three Congress leaders, the notice said.
